


Holding On

by jblue_leviathan177



Category: Deadpool - All Media Types, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Amazing Spider-Man (Movies - Webb), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Abuse, Angst, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Angst with a Happy Ending, Anxiety, Bromance, Bromances everywhere, Canon-Typical Violence, Coping, Depression, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Eventual Fluff, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Identity Reveal, M/M, More tags to be added, Multi, Peter and Flash are the best bros, Peter and Wade are babies with issues, Secret Identity, Secret Relationship, Self-Esteem Issues, Slow Build, Smut, Strangers to Friends to Lovers, Superfamily (Marvel), Teenage Rebellion, Temporary Character Death, but not really, godfather Tony Stark, liberties taken, original villians - Freeform, some canon divergence, unlikely romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-20
Updated: 2017-09-09
Packaged: 2018-06-09 15:54:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 22
Words: 180,965
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6913612
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jblue_leviathan177/pseuds/jblue_leviathan177
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gwen is gone and Peter is trying to cope with the loss. His aunt is worried and when he comes home late again, bruised, she decides to take action. She sends Peter to live with his godfather, Tony Stark. Could his life get anymore complicated as he tries to continue to be Spider-Man and hide his secret life while living under Iron Man's nose? This decision only triggers a set of events that Peter never saw coming. Who knew that Captain America was such a mother hen or that Flash is actually a really nice guy to be around. And who is Deadpool and why was Peter falling so hard for him?</p><p>EDIT: Chapter 22 is an author's note.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Two Months

**Author's Note:**

> Note: I am taking some liberties with things such as SHIELD and Avenger Operations. As far as this story is concerned Civil War didn't happen and everyone is happy and going about their lives happily. Also it is roughly based on The Amazing Spider-Man movies but I messed with the timeline. Gwen died while they were still in highschool. 
> 
> That is all I can think of right now. 
> 
> Enjoy!

His greatest role model on earth has always been none other than May Parker. It’s cliché, sure, but the woman raised him as her own and in the face of tragedy she rose above it and did amazing things like went to nursing school. Peter could only hope to be half the person she is and he was the one with super powers. To say that he held her in the highest esteem was an understatement. He wanted to make her proud. He wanted to be better for her. So he balanced home, school and being Spider-Man on a precarious line. Sometimes he felt like a tight rope walker with his demanding responsibility to save lives and get into a good college. Good thing he was Spider-Man, right?

            Two months has passed since the death of Gwen Stacy. Two months since she became just another tally on his casualty list. Two months since he lost his best friend. He made a promise to the late Captain and he broke it. He let her get in harms way. He let her die and that was a hard pill to swallow. He tried hanging up the suit but two months later he found himself throwing himself more recklessly into stopping crime as if to repent his sins. Gwen’s death was not the only one that felt heavy on his shoulders. He was sure that if his aunt knew the truth, she would only be disappointed. Maybe even hate him.

            His scanners fed a constant feed of police reports into his ear. When he heard of a stolen bank truck, he was on the move. Swinging through the city was exhilarating. It was something that never got old. Even after two years of being Spider-Man, he still loved it as much as he did that very first day. He followed the sound of police sirens until he found the big truck barreling down the street, speeding through intersections as men leaned out the windows to fire their weapons. He landed right on top of the cab. His spidey-senses tingled and he managed to get out of the way as bullet holes littered the roof where he had been just seconds ago. Now he clung to the side of the vehicle. A gun poked out the passenger side window and pointed right at him. Launching himself over the cab, he knew he needed to end this now before anyone got hurt.

            Peter yanked on the driver side door and jerked the steering wheel so they ran into a steel guard rail, stopping the vehicle. Before the robbers could recover he punched out the driver, webbing hands and feet so the man would be immobile. His senses flared and he ducked out of the way of gun fire. The alert man swore loudly as Peter climbed on top of the truck. He was about to reach into the passenger side and yank the man out when he heard raucous singing.

            “ _I came in like a wrecking ball!_ ”

            Peter whirled around, yelping when a costumed man came swinging towards him from one of his own webs. He dodged out of the way, hitting the pavement hard in his haste and whirled around to see the newcomer smack right into the thief that was trying to run away, knocking him out cold right there on the street. The man laughed giddily as he landed on his feet, still singing the pop song.

            Peter stared at the red and black clad man before him, stunned. He waited, tense, to see if this man was friend or foe. With the other’s antics he wasn’t sure which. He had his weapons out and waving them around as though they were playthings. Peter knew he had to do something quickly before things escalated. He straightened and went closer to the man, clearing his throat loudly until the man stopped mid-rant with himself.

            The sudden stillness in the man unnerved Peter. Then he spoke. “You know you shouldn’t steal other people’s costumes, Copy Cat. I could sue you!”

            “How do I know you didn’t steal from me?” Peter fired back without thinking.

            The stranger cocked his head at a curious angle. “That’s true. I like you. How do we know we didn’t steal it from each other, web-head?… Oh, shut up! What do you know?”

            Peter frowned before saying, “I’m Spider-Man. Who are you?”

            The man made a theatrical movement, hand to his chest. “ _I_ am Deadpool. AKA Merc with a Mouth.”

            “Merc? Mercenary?”

            “Don’t worry. I only kill the baddies.”

            “You can’t kill—“

            “You’re right! Kill is such a strong word. I like to ‘unalive’ them.”

            Peter bit his lip before he could laugh out loud. He’s Spider-Man after all. He can’t get caught laughing at inappropriate jokes, especially those about killing with a mercenary. He cleared his throat, straightening his spine to make himself look more serious.

            “Look, uh, Deadpool, I won’t allow you to kill anybody. Okay? I— ”

            The mercenary leaned in close, his spidey-senses a live wire flaring in his mind. “I’m here on business, web-head. You stay out my way and I stay out of yours.”

            “Sorry, can’t let you do that.”

            Deadpool moved away. Peter could see a grin through the mask “Then it’ll be fun working with you in the future.”

            Peter watched him go, debating whether or not to stop this guy now but a crowd was gathering. Ultimately he decided that this was not the time or place to engage an unknown criminal. He had research to do so he simply webbed away and hoped that no one died because he decided to let the mercenary walk.

 

            Peter didn’t know why he did it. Maybe he was just too exhausted and his ribs hurt too badly that he wasn’t thinking clearly. Tonight he decided to come in through the back door instead of his bedroom window. Now any other night this wouldn’t be an issue but tonight was different. Tonight there was a very angry little lady waiting for him and ready to pounce when he stepped through the door. He flinched at the way his spidey-senses gave a slight twinge at the threat that existed in the little house.

            “Peter Benjamin Parker!” Aunt May barked when the door was shut securely behind him.

            “Aunt May, what are you doing up?” Peter’s first line of defense? Deflection. Did it always work? Absolutely not. Did it work now? Well, he knew as soon as the words were out of his mouth that he had made another bad decision. Seriously, he needed to start keeping score and reward himself when he can keep it down to five bad decisions a night.

            “What am I doing up?” She stood from her chair, arms crossing over her chest. “Do you have any idea how— What happened to your face?”

            Peter winced, mind racing for a plausible excuse, but he ended up spouting his default reason. “I face planted on my skateboard earlier.” _I leapt from the top of a stolen bank truck while trying to avoid bullets and a flying mercenary,_ he wanted to say. He couldn’t though. How does a child tell the woman who was a mother to him, that he put himself in danger every day?

            “Not buying it,” Aunt May replied sharply. “What are you doing skate boarding until—” She paused long enough to glance at the clock. “Until a quarter after two in the morning?”

            Peter groaned. “Look, Aunt May—”

            “No, you look,” His aunt’s tone shutting him up instantly. “You come home late, bruised and bleeding. You are falling asleep in all your classes. Thank God you are book smart or you would be flunking out by now. Don’t you dare tell me how it is. I have been very patient but I am at wit’s end. I am not going to sit by idly and let you get yourself killed. Do you hear me, Peter? I will not let you kill yourself with this stupidity.”

            His heart stuttered as panic and shock came to grip him. “Aunt May…”

            “I don’t know what it is. Street fighting, drugs, drinking…I don’t know but I’ve decided. I called your godfather. You are going to live with him for a little while.”

            Peter gaped at her, mouth hanging open in complete surprise. “What? You can’t send me to live with him. He’s a child with too much money. You’ve seen him on the news. Not exactly role model material.”

            Her eyes glinted dangerously. “No, but he does live with Captain America who has also agreed to help you.”

 

            He had it coming. Peter knew he did. He knew he had made his aunt’s life absolute hell over the past two years. He knew he deserved this. He didn’t have to like it though. Tony Stark, of all people, was his godfather. Apparently he had been good friends with his parents in college and had kept in touch over the years. Every birthday and Christmas there was always that one present that Peter knew his aunt and uncle couldn’t afford. When he got good report cards, a card came with a fifty neatly tucked between the fold. Tony Stark was always a presence in his life but they were never more. Peter didn’t mind and he was even grateful for it when he became Spider-Man. Peter’s secret identity was very important to him, especially from the Avengers and SHEILD. Especially from Iron Man. Now he was going to live with them. They had even gone as far as to grant Tony temporary guardianship over Peter. Aunt May had decided to leave New York to visit and take care of her sick sister in Chicago. So it worked out…for them. It had been a teary goodbye and took every ounce of his strength to beg her not to go. Not to let this happen to them… but he knew better.

            Her eyes shined with unshed tears as she cupped his face. “Peter, I love you. I don’t care what anyone says. You are my _son_. You are mine and no one will take that away from me. Do you understand?”

            He gave a shaky nod, unable to trust his voice. As if when he had opened his mouth nothing but pleas would start tumbling out. _I’ll be good_ , he wanted to say, _please don’t leave me too_. But he couldn’t. He was all too aware of the can of worms that would open. He was convinced that it would destroy her to know what he really did during his spare time.

           

            Now he was in the back seat of Tony’s fancy sport car that he couldn’t even name. Steve Rogers was in the passenger seat. He could only imagine what the two superheroes thought of him. Some punk kid who wouldn’t listen to his poor aunt and needed a male discipline figure. Or two. Peter hadn’t decided how Tony was going to play this whole thing. For being his godfather, he knew very little about the man. What he did know was what he had heard through the news. The billionaire wasn’t exactly the greatest role model. So he wasn’t sure if Tony was going to be a positive influence or a negative one. He was about eighty-three percent sure that Steve would be the one that would give him the most trouble.

            Don’t get him wrong. Under other circumstances he would totally be freaking out over meeting both Tony and Steve personally. For different reasons. There were hundreds of questions that Peter instantly wanted to ask Captain America about his time during the War and what it was like waking up so many decades later. He wanted to talk to Tony about his academic papers. Naturally he has read them all and wanted to discuss them with the man but he found that want waning as they drove further from his home.

            “So, Peter,” Steve began since their first awkward greeting as Peter loaded his lonely bags into Tony’s car. “Do you have any after school activities?”

            “Define after school activities.” Peter was really trying not to fit the stereotype of a moody teenager but, well, he was in bad mood after all.

            “Why don’t you tell me, Peter,” Steve continued casually, not seeming bothered by Peter’s snark.

            “Why don’t I not tell you what I think.”

            Steve sighed heavily, looking back at him. “Look, Peter, I know this is tough but this is for the best. You’ll see.”

            Peter remained silent, briefly meeting Tony’s dark eyes in the rearview mirror. He wasn’t keen on living with the Avengers. They didn’t exactly get along in their suits. Maybe he was acting like a child but right now he was mad and couldn’t do anything about it. He had no idea how he was going to hide his identity and continue being Spider-Man. He briefly considered stopping until his aunt returned to New York but who knew how long that would take. He just couldn’t leave his neighborhoods high and dry like that again. The Avengers were too busy saving the rest of the world.

            Most teenagers would be beside themselves to get to live with the Avengers. Peter had to play dumb as they pulled into a secret underground garage. Since the whole mass robot army thing, the Avengers had abandoned Stark tower as their base for operations but the penthouse still remained at the top and served as the center of renewable energy research. He vaguely knew where the new head quarters was and desperately wanted to check it out. Next to the tower was the new SHIELD building, where the agency was trying to grow again from it’s fallout. Peter had a very tedious alliance with the agency.

            Getting to the penthouse from the garage was a complicated series of turns and switching elevators until they reached the final one where Tony’s AI scanned them to confirm their identities, greeting Peter in that smooth voice. It almost sounded friendly. The elevator clicked to a stop and the doors slid open. He took in the space, a joint living area and kitchen with an impressive entertainment center. Naturally it was large, all sleek lines and high tech. He briefly wondered if any of the other Avengers would be using the space here now that Tony and Steve were living in it again.

            The two older men led him away from the main living area and down a hall. Tony began talking.

            “So far it’s just us, Pepper and Bucky.” Tony stated as he showed Peter the place. He instantly noticed how Bucky and Steve shared the same room.

            Peter raised his brows, looking at Steve, surprised by this bit of information. “You and the Winter Soldier? For real?”

            Steve shrugged and nodded, clearly unnerved. Peter hummed in solidarity. “Cool.”

            Some of the tension seemed to abate as Tony showed him to his room, down the hall from Tony’s and Pepper’s. It was larger than the one at his aunt’s, furnished with a double bed, dresser, desk and nightstand. It was bare other wise. Steve gave him permission to decorate it however he liked as if he would be staying here for a long time. His bathroom was across the hall.

            “Alright we’ll let you get settled in.” Steve lingered by the open door. “We are having dinner in an hour.”

            “Together?”

            “Pepper will be joining us.”

            Steve left, shutting the door behind him. Peter sighed and began to unpack the essentials.

 

            Meeting Pepper Potts was about as intimidating as Peter had expected. She was in casual house clothes, seemingly harmless when he walked into the kitchen quietly. Steve was telling a story while she sipped on a glass of wine. There was something about her that made his heart skip a beat. It only took him a second to realize that something about her reminded him a lot of Gwen. An older version of her. Like this is the kind of woman that she would have grown to be if her life hadn’t been cut so drastically short. Before he could sink into a deeper depression just by standing there, missing his friend, Pepper turned to him and smiled warmly.

            “Hi, you must be Peter. I’m Pepper.”

            He gently shook her hand. “Hey, it’s nice to meet you.”

            “I’m glad I get to finally meet Tony’s godson.”

            “Peter, would you mind setting the table for me?” Steve asked politely, motioning to the dinner ware already on the counter.

            He huffed, gathering the plates, but did as asked without argument. He really didn’t want to make enemies here. The meal was extremely uneventful. Tony appeared covered in grease, complaining about having spaghetti again. The adults chatted amongst themselves after trying to get Peter to talk. They asked about his school and friends and things he liked to do but when they only got clipped answers in response they left him alone. Well, until they finished eating.

            Tony leaned forward with a determined look and Peter instantly tensed, knowing exactly what was coming. “Peter, we need to lay down some ground rules.”

            Peter set down his glass of water and crossed his arms over his chest. “Okay.”

            “You have a ten o’clock curfew, but I am willing to negotiate on some occasions. Your homework will be finished before you go out. You will also have chores here. Keep your bathroom and bedroom clean. Take out the trash and do the dishes Monday and Wednesday night. Sound fair?”

            Peter shrugged. “Sure.”

            “Okay then. You also must let us know where you are going to be. You are on probation right now until I release you on good behavior.”

            He resisted the urge to role his eyes. “Okay.”

            Tony seemed like he wanted to add more but he simply nodded. After dumping his plate in the sink, Peter returned to his room. He flipped the lock and went over his desk where he had already set up his computer. He turned it on, still not use to the new background screen where a picture of him and Gwen use to be.

           

            The hardest thing about going to school was how lonely it felt among the packed hallways. Nothing felt worst than being alone surrounded by so many people. He wasn’t all that popular to begin with, being an introvert and socially awkward, but at least he had company in Gwen. Once he had made that connection with her, he didn’t feel the need to try to make new friends. Quality over quantity, right? Now he was back in the place where he started. The only difference is that he had lost tiny parts of himself for something he didn’t want to begin with.

            He was minding his own business when Flash Thompson plopped down the bench next to him during the lunch break.

            “What do you want, Flash?”

            The jock shrugged his shoulders. “What? I can’t sit here?”

            “Flash.”

            “Look, Parker, I’m just trying to be nice.”

            Peter turned to him, eyebrow raised, and for a moment Flash actually looked sheepish. “Okay, I deserve that. I was a dick towards you but I’m trying to be better.”

            He looked at his once bully. Really looked at him. Peter had to admit that Flash and his buddies hadn’t had bothered him in a long time but he’d lost track of the normal things in his life as he dealt with the not so normal. “That’s really good, Flash.”

            “I…I’m sorry for what happened. With Gwen, you know. You two were close and…I just haven’t said it yet. So, um, I hope you are taking care of yourself, Parker. Yeah, that’s all.”

            Stunned, Peter watched Flash get up and walk away before he could reply. He glanced around and saw other students from his classes looking at him. They turned away as soon as he caught them and it just made him confused. He wondered what had prompted Flash to come to him. Had he really changed that much since it happen? Was there more to why his aunt had him sent to live with Tony Stark? Shaking his head, he slipped inside away from prying eyes. He wasn’t sure of what to think of Flash approaching him but he knew one thing for sure was that it offered a brief moment of comfort he had been missing for awhile now.


	2. I Prefer Creative

He managed to behave the first week living with the leaders of the Avengers. He was proud of himself. Peter was home on time after school every day, did his homework and chores as instructed. He spent his nights listening to his police scanner though. He let the small crimes slide, figuring the police could handle it. He was just listening for the truly life or death situations. He also researched Deadpool. The mercenary had been MIA over the week, no reports of the guy. Peter wasn’t sure if he should be relieved or worried. Come to find out Deadpool did have a Twitter and Instagram. Neither of them gave him any clues as to who he was other than some sort of connection to the X-men if his selfie with Wolverine was anything to go by. Peter wondered if he could hit up the Avengers or SHEILD and see what they knew about the guy. For good measure he followed both of the accounts.

            The week passed and all he managed was a couple of texts to his aunt. He loved her but he was angry too. It was hard speaking to her as if nothing was happening between them and Peter just simply wasn’t ready to face her. So he just checked in to make sure she was okay and vise versa. Of course his luck was rotten and he couldn’t keep his bad decision tally a night to a minimum for very long. After dinner with Steve and Bucky, Peter had heard of a hostage situation over the police scanner linked to the com in his ear. He swore lightly. He couldn’t just sneak out. Not with being towards the top of a tall building with no fire escape.

            Taking a deep breath, he slipped out his bedroom and down the stairs. Fortunately Bucky and Steve were not near the entrance of the penthouse. He didn’t want to think about how hard it would be to get out if the others were around but he took the chance he had to sneak out and hoped it wouldn’t bite him in the ass later.

            He didn’t dare bring his suit and gear with him into the tower, so once he was free of the SHIELD zone (as he liked to call it), Peter pulled up his hood and swung to the abandoned train station where his father’s old secret lab was. It had only made sense to move his base of operations to the unused space. Also Peter thought it was just really cool. The place was outfitted with tech he had picked up from various places around the city, namely dumpsters. It also helped with hiding the mass production of webbing he had going, torn suits that needed repair, and smashed web shooters he had scattered across the table.

            He grabbed his things, changing quickly. He left his book bag hidden in a niche near the entrance of the train station; his phone tucked away in one of the pockets. He was certain that if Tony wanted to, the man could track his phone. In all it took him twenty minutes and that was enough time to make him annoyed with himself and his situation. A lot could happen in twenty minutes. He just hoped that he wasn’t too late. He couldn’t stand the idea that someone got hurt because he had to be extra sneaky around a bunch of superheroes.

            Fortunately when he reached the museum under siege, no one had died with only one cop wounded so far. It was routine. He slipped in through an upper gallery window and made his move from above, dispatching the robbers of their guns before webbing them to the nearest surfaces. They were armatures and arguing among their ranks. It had been all too easy to take advantage of it all. However as he was getting ready to leave, Deadpool appeared out of no where, a gun to one of the robbers heads. His spidey-sense flaring in alarm.

            “Now I’m going to give you ten seconds to tell me who— Fuck!”

            Peter grinned behind his mask as he webbed the gun out of his hand and then moved around him binding his arms to his sides in the fashion of straight jacket.

            “You!” Deadpool wailed as Peter webbed his boots to the floor for good measure.

            “Me!” Peter replied mockingly before turning serious. “Thought I told you not to kill anyone.”

            “Does he look dead to you?” The merc snapped.

            Peter glanced at the robber. The guy’s face was pale and covered in sweat, looking ready to pass out. He shrugged. “You pointed a gun at him.”

            “And you are interfering with my business.”

            “Business of what? Killing people?”

            “Yes! You are finally getting it. Now release me from your webs—wait. Are these organic? If so where do they come from? Do you have webbing that comes out of your spidey butt? Which might I add is a fabulous butt.”

            Peter gaped at the man. “You are insane.”

            Deadpool gave an insufferable sigh. “I prefer creative. Now let me go.”

            “How about no.” Peter turned to leave but stopped when Deadpool yelled, “Fine! Come help me stop the guy I’m after. Lets work together. The sooner I’m done here, the sooner I get out of town.”

            Peter pursed his lips as he glared at the mercenary. He could hear the police threatening to enter the building. Grumbling, he hefted Deadpool over his shoulder and carried him out the way they had come. Once they were on a rooftop away from the museum, Peter set the man down and addressed him. “Okay, who is this guy you are after?”

            “He’s a real piece of work of a man. Nasty. His name is Edward Sniegoski. So this asshat has done some pretty horrible things like human and drug trafficking and kicking puppies. The worst kind of criminal.”

            Peter sighed, rubbing his temples. “What made you think those guys back there knew anything?”

            “Duh! Bug-boy, they are called minions. Every villain has at least one.”

            “Do you have one?” Peter asked pointedly.

            “Of course not. One: I’m not a villain. Two: they are yellow and annoying. Both very horrible traits.”

            Peter had to cough to cover up a laugh, clearing his throat. “Okay, well, those guys are now in police custody. So what’s the next step?”

            Deadpool was silent for a few seconds until the sides of his mask stretched like he was smiling. “A superhero team up? How exciting! How about we meet here Friday night? I’ll bring chimichangas.”

            “If we work together absolutely no killing,” Peter stated firmly.

            “But that’s no fun.”

            Peter paused, wondering how he could get through to Deadpool. “Don’t you think when you are fighting that just killing your opponent is just too easy? What challenge do you have if you are armed to the teeth and you kill the guy—”

            “Or girl.”

            “ _And_ what does that say about you?”

            “What are you saying, web head?” The suspicion was thick in Deadpool’s voice as he struggled against the bonds.

            “I’m saying that I bet you can’t not kill anyone while we are working together.”

            “Oh yeah? If I win what do I get?”

            Peter instantly added this to his ever growing list of bad decisions for the night. “What do you want?”

            “If I manage not to kill anyone—”

            “Innocent or not.”

            “Innocent or not, you have to give me one of your iconic Spider-Man kisses.”

            Peter felt suddenly hot under the mask. “My wha— Know what? Okay, fine. Deal. But if you kill any one and I find out about it, I’m taking you straight to SHIELD.”

            “Deal.”

 

            After the heist Peter spent the next few hours stopping petty crime and one police chase, mulling over the character Deadpool. He wasn’t entirely sure how much he should trust the man. The guy was obviously crazy and assassinated others for money. He needed to find out more. So after webbing a would be mugger to the front of the police station, he headed over to SHIELD. Now he and the superhero agency had a special kind of love/hate relationship. They liked to call him in on minor jobs from time to time but Peter knew it made them grind their teeth to do so because Peter wouldn’t reveal his identity to them. No amount of bribing could convince him though the idea of a very large and regular paycheck made him sick after he had said no.

            He was positive that they didn’t already know his secret identity or were at least working on it. He was very careful and if spiders were known for anything, it would be for their pesky disappearing acts. He also kind of sort of broke into the building and accessed their profiles and found that they didn’t know his secret identity. However walking in through the main door still made his stomach flip flop unpleasantly. Agents paused to look at him, some tensing. He waved, trying to relax, and said, “Hey, I need some assistance…Please?”

            “What do you want, Spider-Man?” Clint Barton asked as he emerged from whatever hole he had been hiding in.

            Peter cleared his throat. “I need a profile on this guy. I figured SHIELD would know who he is.”

            Clint frowned. “Who is the guy?”

            “He goes by Deadpool. Red and black costume. Crazy as a loon. Ringing any bells?”

            The superspy surprised him as the older man groaned. “Deadpool is back in town? Shit. Follow me.”

            Peter did so wordlessly, taking in his surroundings. He was led into a computer room (the same he had broken into before) and watched Clint log onto one. “Soooooo…” Peter started conversationally but Clint cut him off.

            “What happened when Deadpool encountered you?”

            “Uh, he rambles a lot. Most of the stuff doesn’t even make sense. He’s here on a job apparently. I want to know more about him before I go toe to toe with this guy again.”

            Clint sighed wearily. “His name is Wade Wilson. He’s a contracted mercenary. He plays along a fine line of being a bad guy and good guy. He was part of the Weapon X program. The son of a bitch can’t die. He’s a problem for SHIELD but there isn’t a whole lot we can do about him. Every time we lock him up, he gets out. So we try to…guide his actions instead. Keep him from becoming too big of an issue.”

            “So you are just letting a killer walk unsupervised?”

            Clint gave him a hard and unamused look. “I’ve worked with Wilson on missions before. He’s unpredictable and dangerous.” He clicked away on the computer and the sound of a printer started up. Clint stood, retrieving the pages, and handed them to Peter. “Here is all the intel we have on Deadpool. I advise you stay away from him, Spider-Man. He is beyond your pay grade.”

            “You say that like I’m actually getting paid to do any of this.”

            “You would be if you told us who is the man behind the mask.” Clint responded, ushering him out of the room and back towards to exit.

            “Haha—not going to happen. Besides can’t your questionable team of spies figure it out?”

            “Don’t challenge us. Also don’t just walk in through the front entrance again.”

            Peter gasped for good measure. “Rude!”

            Clint gave him an impatient look. “We don’t need regular appearances with Spider-Man giving SHIELD a bad name.”

            “You could do a little PR for me to deal with the Daily Bugle.”

            Clint shoved him out the front entrance with a smirk. “That’s a benefit for employees only.”

            Peter squinted at the man. “Evil.” He would have made a seething comment about how SHIELD created it’s on bad name without any help from him but he didn’t need Nick Fury or Coulson emerging from the shadows. He swung away from the base back towards the abandoned train. He quickly changed his clothes and left the stack of papers Clint had given him on the table next to the old computer. He closed up the secret train-lab and went to retrieve his hidden backpack and phone. A groan tore from his throat at the sight of a dozen missed calls from Tony and Steve and five voicemails, all of them ranging in worry to down right threatening him. Time to face the music.

            He swung back to SHIELD zone before walking the rest of the way. The elevator ride up was a long one as his heart pattered nervously in his chest. He knew what to expect when Aunt May was angry but he had no clue what Tony or Steve would do or say. That unknown factor was enough for him to get worked up on the way to the private quarters of the Avengers. When the lift came to a stop and he stepped off he was greeted with two very angry looking superheroes. Well, Steve appeared just worried but Tony looked angry. He also took count of Bucky and Sam in the kitchen. He hadn’t been formally introduced to the Falcon as Peter Parker and he had a feeling it won’t be happening tonight.

            “Where the hell have you been?” Tony barked out first, his face pinched together in a way that nearly made Peter want to walk back out. “Do you know what time it is?”

            Peter’s head whipped around, desperately looking for a clock.

            “Don’t bother. It’s one in the morning. You have school in the morning.” Tony went on angrily.

            Peter swallowed hard, feeling his own anger spike in defense. He wasn’t Spider-Man here. Just Peter Parker, a teenager without a proper excuse. He was feeling mulish after a stressful evening of dealing with psychotic mercenaries. “So?”

            “ _So?_ So you have a curfew and you need to let me know where you are going to be.”

            “I don’t feel like I need to explain myself to you.” Peter pushed. _Shut up, Parker_ ran on a loop in his head as he continued his tally for bad decisions. Where was he? Like seven at this point. If he lived he’d recount the night later.

            “As your guardian—”

            Something akin to red hot rage flowed through Peter. He couldn’t explain it. He thought of himself as someone who was easy going and typically hard to rile, but Tony’s words were driving his blood pressure up. Maybe he was tired and that’s why he exploded the way he did. It was bound to happen at some point.

            “You aren’t my guardian!” Peter snapped. “You don’t even act like one. The great Tony Stark locks himself away in his lab at all hours of the day and acts like a spoiled rich boy in public then expects me to behave for him? You are a real piece of work. You know that? I’ve been _trying_ and the first time a mess up I get the third degree. Fuck you.”

            He stormed off back towards his room without a further word, fuming with anger he didn’t even realize he had. It wasn’t until his bed room door was shut quietly behind him that he was able to breath again.

 

            Surprisingly nothing drastic happened the next day. Peter went to school and returned to the tower, waiting for the bomb to drop but it never did. He kept waiting for Tony or Steve to do something about the night before. All he got was quiet hellos and a call that dinner was ready and that they should eat together. Peter picked at his food, spaghetti again, until everyone finished. He did the dishes without complaint and was about to head to his room when Steve stopped him.

            “We are going to watch a movie. Want to join us?”

            Peter thought about saying no but then remembered he needed to get out for Friday. So he nodded, hoping that spending some “bonding” time would help win him some brownie points. They ended up in the main room and Peter was shocked to find Clint and Sam already there. Seriously this place was huge. How did he miss them? He hadn’t seen any of the Avengers in the tower up until now. He was formally introduced to them and they greeted him with warm smiles. It was so different to how they treated him as Spider-Man. Even Clint ruffled his hair as Peter claimed a bean bag chair on the floor. Sam took the bean bag next to his, flashing him a friendly smile.

            “Me and Darcy are a sucker for these things on movie nights.”

            “Darcy?”

            “Oh. She’s a friend of Thor’s.”

            “How many are there of you guys?” Peter asked, genuinely curious. He knew the number went above the primary six of the group but he wasn’t sure who that all included.

            “There is a good few. Not many stay in the tower though. Not anymore. Most of us have our own places.”

            Peter frowned at that. He didn’t understand why but his stomach twisted at that news. He couldn’t even go home. His aunt wasn’t even there and the doors were locked. Sure he had the key but it’s not like he could just stay like he longed to. Only he would be the one who couldn’t go home. He bit down on the inside of his cheek to keep from saying something rude or crying. He’d be damned if he was going to get upset over not being able to spend the night in his poster covered room. The pain and taste of blood flooding his mouth was a welcomed distraction as he turned away from Sam to look at the big screen TV.

            They had decided to watch _Back to the Future_ to get Bucky and Steve caught up on pop culture references. Peter sat through the movie, ignoring the curious looks Sam was giving him through the film. As soon as the movie came to an end, the older man leaned over. “Hey, Peter, I —”

            “I’m going to bed,” Peter announced suddenly, standing. “I have to be up early.”

            “Oh?” Steve prompted as he stood. “Why’s that?”

            “Uh, something to do with the art department at school. They want pictures of the students’ art work for something. Good night.”

            He darted out of the room, just shy of out right running. His heart was pounding in his chest. It felt tight and suddenly too hard to breath. He closed his bed room door firmly behind him, flipping the lock. Some of that pressure released but lingered as he tried to take calming breaths. Sweat had broken out on his brow and he felt weak in the legs. He sat down on the edge of his bed, pulling out his phone. His aching chest was immediately forgotten as he looked and saw a message from Flash. They had traded numbers a few days ago but he hadn’t really thought the guy would have texted him first.

            _Hey, this is Flash._

_Hey. What’s up?_ Peter typed back, laying across his bed. The cool sheet felt good against his heated cheeks.

            _Could you help me with my Algebra tomorrow or Saturday? I’m having trouble. I understand if you don’t want to._

_No. Saturday is good for me._

_Cool. Where do you want to meet up?_

_Do you know 929 Café?_

_That coffee place downtown? Yeah._

_How’s one?_

_It’s good. See you tomorrow_

            Peter huffed lightly but amused. Texting Flash was definitely not something Peter had ever seen himself doing but it certainly was not the weirdest thing to happen to him. The interruption had done the trick though. He felt much more relaxed than he had before. He plugged in his phone and shed his shirt to sleep for the night. Peter had a long day ahead of him if he was going to meet with Deadpool the following night and he needed to be prepared for the worst.

           

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to every one who has left a kudos and comment. The feed back has been great and encouraging. 
> 
> Feel free to ask questions if anything concerns or confuses you. I'll do my best to answer without spoiling anything. XD
> 
> Hugs and kisses <3


	3. I'm Going to Hell for This

Peter chewed on his grossly made sandwich from the lunch room, staring at the jock across from him suspiciously. He had managed to claim an empty table outside under an awning. It might have had something to do with the fact that it was raining but the bench was relatively dry and there was only a single drip on the far end of the table. As soon as he had sat down Flash slipped into the seat on the other side, with an odd smirk. Like he was trying for a friendly smile but from years of being a jerk made him incapable of moving his facial muscles that way.

            “So,” Flash began, “I appreciate you meeting up with me tomorrow.”

            “Sure.” He paused, noting the Spider-Man shirt. At first he was amused when he saw his peers wearing his logo. In the beginning it had made him giggly and wanting to blurt that he was Spider-Man but that had changed over time. No one could know who he was or the guilt he carried that came as price of being Spider-Man. “Nice shirt.”

            Flash grinned sheepishly. “Yeah, the guy is pretty cool. I wonder who he is.”

            Peter shrugged, shoving more food in his mouth. “Probably some SHIELD experiment.”

            “I don’t think he works for them. Which kinda makes him cooler. You know all these other heroes running around doing their thing all over the world but Spider-Man is ours. I mean how many cities can claim that we have our own personal superhero? Just for us.”

            “What about Daredevil though. He’s in New York too.”

            Flash snorted. “He only stays in Hell’s Kitchen and as far as I can tell he doesn’t have any cool powers. He doesn’t count.”

            Peter smiled, knowing exactly how unphased the red clad vigilante would be to that comment. “Yeah, that is pretty cool.”

            They talked through lunch about superheroes both real and fictional before falling on talk about video games. For the first time, Peter was actually enjoying himself at lunch. It was a pleasant change. As the bell rung to send students back to class, Peter thought of something. “Hey, Flash, can I ask you a favor since I’m helping you study?”

            “Sure. What is it?”

            “Can you cover for me tonight if anyone calls asking about me? Just say we are together, hanging out. Text me and let me know how it goes.”

            Flash gave him a studious look. “Parker, are you up to no good? Who knew you had it in you.”

            Peter rolled his eyes as he stood and dumped his trash in the bin. “Will you cover for me?”

            “Yeah. I’ll do it. Are you going to tell me what you are really doing?”

            “No. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

           

            Peter had to give himself an honest pep talk, rehearsing every possible conversation outcome that could take place in front of his dresser mirror, before stepping out of his room. He looked around the apartment but found no one. He tried knocking on the bed room doors but no one answered. Pursing his lips in thought, Peter called out hesitantly. “Jarvis?”

            “Yes, sir?” Came the disembodied response.

            “Uh, is Tony or Steve busy?”

            “Mr. Stark is in a meeting but Mr. Rogers is in the gym. Would you like for me to direct you?”

            “Please? This place is bigger than it looks.”

            “Of course.”

            The AI guided him effortlessly through the tower until he ended up in a part he’d never been to. Of course the gym was massive and he found the super soldier(s) taking out their fury on punching bags. Peter approached cautiously and waited until Steve caught sight of him. The blond stopped and turned to Peter, barely a sweat broken out along his brow.

            “What can I do for you, Peter?”

            “Can I go out tonight?” Peter asked as innocently as he could manage, praying that he could pull this off without any repercussions.

            “Where are you headed?”

            “I’m hanging out with a friend. His name is Flash.”

            “Oh!” Steve looked far too earnest and excited for Peter to be anywhere near comfortable with this. He already felt horrible for lying. “Do you know where you guys are going?”

            “Uh, don’t really know yet. Probably go catch a movie and something to eat. I can give you his number.”

            Steve nodded and Peter sent Flash’s number to the Steve’s phone, briefly wondering how freaked out his peer would be at knowing that Captain America now had his number. “Thank you for coming to tell one of us, Peter. Will you be home late?”

            “I’m…not sure? Can I text you and let you know?” He bit his lip for good measure, hoping he was radiating good intentions.

            “You do that. Do you need money? For food or tickets?”            

            “No!” Peter blurted, surprised. “I mean thanks but I’m good.”

            “Okay.” Steve seemed to hesitate, his face taking on a worried look. “Peter, about the other night—”

            Here it is. Peter sighed. “I’m sorry about that. I shouldn’t have…”

            “No… Well, we were very worried about you. It was so late and you weren’t picking up your phone. We were beginning to think something bad happened to you.”

            Peter blinked. “Oh.”

            “Tony shouldn’t have yelled but you need to let us know if you are going to be so late and where you are. If something happened…If you got hurt it would destroy Tony, your aunt and even me. Just keep us updated. Okay?”

            Peter smiled weakly in relief. How can a super-soldier look like a puppy? _I’m going to hell for this_ ran it’s loop through Peter’s mind “Thanks, Steve. I’ll keep you posted.”

            Before the super soldier could say anymore, Peter made a mad dash out of there. His mind reeled from the concern in Captain’s voice. It almost made him feel guilty about lying to him. Almost. Once he was in the clear, he hurried over to the secret lab to change into his suit and over to the meeting place.

            Of course he canvassed the area first to make sure this wasn’t some sort of ambush. He had managed to check Deadpool’s files and while the man was dangerous, it was obvious that Deadpool didn’t kill unless he was being paid for it. There were a few rare cases where he did but those were labeled self defense or rescue missions. Still it didn’t hurt to be safe. He waited on a nearby rooftop, watching for Deadpool. It wasn’t long before he saw the red and black clad mercenary scale the side of the building, a plastic bag dangling from his arm. Peter had to admit he was impressed with how easily he made it up the wall without any obvious assistance.

            He swung over, landing lightly next to Wade. Peter raised his brow as he held out the bag. “Chimichanga?”

            “Uh, no thanks. I don’t like to eat anything before work.”

            “You know growing boys need their food,” Deadpool tsked.

            Peter rolled his eyes. “Can we just get on with this? I have places to be.”

            “Pushy aren’t we? Are you sure you aren’t a PMSing middle aged woman under that suit?”

            “Deadpool.” Peter crossed his arms and just stared at him.

            “Gee, fine. But I’m not sharing my food with you later.” Deadpool dropped the bag on the roof. “Okay so I’ve been to hired to ‘get rid of’ our resident _Snogski_. Fortunately for you that can be translated into just getting rid of him so he can’t do anymore bad things.”

            “You just so happen to translate that as killing him though?”

            “Exactly! But I can turn him over to SHIELD and they can handle it blah blah blah. This guy is slippery. He’s got too many looking out for him. Tonight there is a huge drug trade taking place. One of his lackies will be there over seeing it. We get to him, we might get to the head honcho. Ready?”

            “Wait. You are just going to show up and what? Ask nicely?”

            “ _Well,_ the original plan was to kill anyone who got in my way but you just had to come in a mess that up didn’t ya?”

            “Get over it. Where is it?”

            “Next street over in that sketchy warehouse. Very suspicious building if you ask me.”

            Peter face-palmed. “Okay, you wait on the roof. I’ll scout the place and I’ll call you in okay? Here.” He passed the merc a burner phone. “I have one. I’ll text you. Think you can handle that?”

            Wade’s shoulders slumped. “Why do you get to have all the fun?”

            “I’m doing the — Oh my God, I am not arguing with you.” Peter shot off without another word, praying he wasn’t making a grave mistake helping Deadpool with this.

            Peter landed on the outside of the building Wade told him about. He crawled around and around, peering into windows until he spotted dim lights towards the bottom. He found a busted window, slipping in silently. He stayed to the shadows as he edged closer to railing. Peering down from the scaffolding he found himself on, he took count of the room full of people. All of them were heavily armed. Peter didn’t doubt that there were more watching the exits. Peter pulled out his camera and snapped a quick picture before texting Wade.

            He watched them for a moment, straining to hear every word being said. They were mostly negotiating deals and how much money was about to exchange hands. One of the men asked, “why would I pay that for this? This isn’t the merchandise we agreed on.”

            The other character held up placating hands. “Hear me out. This drug is new. We like to call it Mary Mary. It is nearly a hundred percent more addictive than heroine and has them tripping like no other drug can. I guarantee you that this will sell faster than any current drug on the streets. You’ll have this part of the city eating out of the palm of your hands in no time…but if that doesn’t satisfy you we do have the order you have asked for in the truck.”

            They continued to talk and Peter was about to call Wade in so he could identify the man they were looking for but then the door suddenly banged open and Wade was standing there lifting two unconscious men by the back of their bullet proof vests into the air.

            “Look! A party! Don’t worry, Spidey, they aren’t dead. I was good.”

            Peter growled softly before launching himself at a distracted armed man. He quickly grabbed him and dragged him back to the ceiling, pinning him there. He managed to do that two more times until he noticed two of them men trying to escape with the bags of money and drugs. He webbed their legs together so they fell and Peter swung from his perch, snatching the bags out of their hands. His spidey-sense flared and he dropped as bullets whizzed pass his head. Ducking behind some crates, Peter hid the bags. Wade was hooting amongst the sounds of gun fire. Peter was going to kill Deadpool. He swear he was for causing this chaos. He vaulted over the crates, tackling one of the guys nearby and webbed the barrels of as many of the weapons as he could before he had to retreat to the ceiling. Wade was fighting with only his fists, thankfully, upholding the no killing rule.

            Peter landed next to Wade and didn’t see the elbow coming right at his face. He grunted as Deadpool hit his eye, stumbling back. That was definitely going to leave a bruise.

            “Spidey!” Deadpool shrieked. “What are you doing here?”

            “Trying to get the guy while you are horsing around. Lets wrap this up now,” Peter snapped. They took down the remaining men. Peter going around, making sure their hands and feet were bound together properly so they couldn’t get away. He then stalked over to the two criminals that were trying to escape earlier. He yanked them both up with his super strength and webbed them to the wall so they could talk face to face.

            “Which one of you is working for Sniegoski?”

            He rolled his eyes when he was met with silence. Deadpool strutted up next to him, drawing one of the swords strapped to his back. Peter had to clench his hands to not stop the other from pressing the blade against one of the men’s throats.

            “Neither of you are walking out of here if one of you doesn’t talk. We can do this hard or the easy way. Up to you.” Deadpool’s voice took a very serious edge that made a chill shoot down Peter’s spine. He took a subtle step away from the merc.

            “You think we’ll talk to you two masked clowns?” One man spat at them.

            “Look you two are going to prison one way or another. Tell us what we want to know you can end up in one of those fancy places like Martha Stewart stayed to do her time.” Peter tried to reason, hoping one would talk before Deadpool got the idea of torture on the brain. It wasn’t in any of his files but the merc certainly seemed like the type that wouldn’t mind sticking the men with his swords until they talked while keeping them alive.

            Finally the man who had been doing the buying blurted, “It’s Charlie. Not me. I just buy my stuff from Sniegoski. I’ve never seen the man.”

            They turned to the proclaimed ‘Charlie’ and saw the man turning red with rage. Before he could shout a word though Wade had both blades cross over his neck. “Talk. What do you know about Sniegoski?”

            “I’m not telling you anything.”

            Peter saw the way Deadpool’s muscles tense, straining for action. Without thinking he laid a hand on the merc’s forearm. “Stop, Deadpool. Lets take them to SHIELD and see what they can get out of them.”

            There was a pause, a span of a single breath, but felt much longer before Wade pulled back with frustrated noise. “Fine.”

            Peter pulled out the burner phone, calling the police and letting them know about the warehouse of webbed bodies and bags of drugs and money. He then plucked the man, Charlie, from the wall. “I’m taking him to SHIELD. Keep the phone and I’ll text you as soon as I know something.”

            Deadpool made an annoyed sound again. Peter sighed, “use your words.”

            “This is my mission. You are hijacking my train.”

            “My city. You can just get over it. Don’t hurt anybody. Do you understand? Or I’m calling this whole thing off.”

            Deadpool deflated. “Fine.”

            Peter relaxed when Deadpool gave no further argument. He could hear the police sirens now and he knew it was time to go. “Uh, I look forward to working with you again.”

            “Do you mean that?” Wade turned to him suddenly, voice serious.

            “Um, yeah. I got to go.”

            Peter frowned as he left the building but he didn’t have time to decipher Deadpool. He had criminal to drop off at SHIELD. When he got there he was greeted by Coulson. The guy had way too innocent of a smile for someone to work as a SHIELD agent. Peter looked at him suspiciously before dumping the guy on the floor.

            “I just caught this guy selling drugs at a warehouse. He knows where Edward Sniegoski is. Can you get the information out of him for me?”

            “Having us do your dirty work for you, Spider-Man?”

            “Well, yeah. Do I look like someone who is in to torture or whatever it is you people do?”

            “I suppose not but then we don’t really know anything about you.”

            Peter planted his fists on his hips. “Are you going to help me or not?”

            “Yes, we will actually because if you bring Sniegoski in you will actually be helping us out. We’ll officially put you on the case…I hear Deadpool is your partner in this?”

            “Unwillingly but yeah.”

            “Watch him, Spider-Man. Make sure he doesn’t cause any trouble.”

            Peter shook his head, walking out of the base. “When did I become a babysitter?”

           

            By the time he returned to the tower, just five minutes shy of his curfew, Peter knew he had a nice black eye if the dull ache was anything to go by. He considered a dozen excuses as he made his way up the tower. He immediately ruled out ‘skateboard accident’ considering he didn’t bring it with him. He slipped into the apartment, hoping that the others had gone to bed. Of course he was not so lucky. Steve and Tony were in the kitchen, apparently waiting for him to get home. They looked up with smiles that instantly fell as they locked in on his face.

            “What happened to your face?” Tony asked, sounding genuinely worried.

            “Just some punk wanted to start a fight with us.” Pater answered, putting up a front of annoyance at the whole ordeal. He really didn’t need to harness much inspiration considering what he had really just been through. Peter was looking forward to the day when he could just kick Deadpool’s ass for giving him so much trouble. “The whole thing was stupid.”

            “Do I need to call someone’s father?” Steve asked seriously.

            Peter felt as though the floor fell out from under him as those words swam around in his head. It felt like a lifetime since someone else who truly cared for him had asked that very same question. “N-no. It’s fine. Really. It’s not that bad. I just bruise easily. It’ll be clearing up tomorrow. Beside I’ll never see the guy again.”

            They seemed hesitant to let it go but eventually Tony nodded. “Okay.”

            “Thanks. Uh, I’m meeting with Flash again tomorrow to help him on his homework.”

            “Oh? Sure. That’s…fine. Where?” Tony pressed, messing with the gadget in his hands.

            “929 Café. I don’t know how long we’ll be.”

            “That’s fine…Did you guys have fun before the shiner?”

            “Uh, yeah! We just went to the movies and hung out at the park.”

            “Good.” The two adults traded looks and Peter’s heart gave a nervous thump.

            “I’m going to go to bed…Is that all?”

            “Yeah, good night, Peter.” Tony called quietly as Steve added his own soft, “good night.”

            “Right. Good night.”

           

            “Dude, who fucked you up?” Flash asked as he sat across from Peter at the small table in the dimly lit basement of 929 Café.

            “No one. Skateboarding accident.”

            “That’s lame. I know that’s a lie and even if it wasn’t you need to take this opportunity to make yourself look cooler.”

            Peter leaned back in his seat, crossing his arms. “I don’t care about looking cool, Flash.”

            The jock snorted. “I’ve learned. Which why is that?”

            Peter shrugged. “Why worry about what my classmates think of me? I won’t have to see them again once we graduate.”

            Flash raised his brows. “Way to cement that entire antisocial thing you have going on.”

            “Do you want my help or not?”

            The other teen gave him a nearly panicked look. “Yes!” He wasted no time in pulling out his book and flipping to the page he needed. They spent the better part of the next hour hashing over the problems Flash was struggling with. Once he understood, they worked quietly on their respective work; Peter pausing whenever the other had a question. They binged on coffee and the specialty treat that had so much sugar in it that Peter was sure he’d be buzzed if not for his racked up metabolism. It was nice, spending time with someone his age and who wasn’t involved in anything other than what ordinary students had to deal with.

            “What do you plan on doing after we graduate?” Flash asked unexpectedly, closing his book.

            Peter clicked his tongue in thought. “I don’t know. Go to college. Probably do something with biology and chemistry. You?”

            Flash shrugged this time, not looking at him. “I’m going to join the army. I applied yesterday.”

            Peter’s eyes went wide. “For real? That’s…that’s great, Flash.”

            He gave him a small smile. “Thanks. At least someone thinks so.”

            That struck Peter as odd but he didn’t press for what the other meant. He knew that if Flash wanted to share he would have but to hear that his once bully was joining the military? Now that was something else. He felt a pang of worry for the other teen that he just couldn’t explain.

           

            He rolled out of bed on Sunday, prepared for a lazy day in his bed room watching Youtube videos online. He got about as far as three short videos of Spider-Man fighting crime when there was a heavy pounding on his door. Worried, he closed his laptop and opened the door to find Tony standing there with that determined look that Peter was becoming very familiar with.

            “Follow me,” was all the man said.   
            Peter hesitated. “Do I need pants for this?”

            “Pants would be preferable.” Tony was already half way down the hall.

            He snagged a pair of lounge pants from the floor, tugging them over his boxers as he hurried after Tony. Peter followed the scientist wordlessly as he was led into an unfamiliar part of the tower. Seriously, he needed to start exploring the place. They ended up in a lab, filled with tech that doesn’t even look like any of it should exist yet. Tony sat him down at a computer and Peter’s heart skipped, his mind instantly going to the worst possible conclusions. Was Tony about to show him footage of how he so wasn’t at the movies the night before last or worst: him changing in and out of his suit?

            Neither of that happened. Instead he was greeted with screen filled with nothing but code and Tony leaned against the edge of the table. “You are smart. I know you are. I want you to start helping in the lab.”

            Peter gaped at him. “Are you serious? I thought you didn’t work with others.”

            Jarvis spoke, “he doesn’t, Mr. Parker.”

            “Shut up, Jarvis.” Tony sighed. “The entire point of you being here, Peter, is to ensure you have a good future. You have an opportunity here. Take it or don’t. Now I want you to practice this.”

            “What makes you think I know any of this?” Peter asked staring at the screen before flicking his eyes back to Tony.

            “I am fully aware of how you managed to get all those movies, tv shows, and music on your computer.”

            Peter spluttered. “It’s called sharing! I didn’t…”

            “Save it. You didn’t do what normal kids do. I am also aware that when you were fifteen you sent a virus to all of the school computers, freezing all the screens with a picture of the principle in a pink tutu.”

            His eyes widened. “That wasn’t me! That was the senior class prank. It was one of them.”

            Tony smirked. “How much did they pay you to pull it off?”

            “Fifty bucks,” Peter relented with a pout.

            “Get to work.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the support! It's really exciting to see. 
> 
> The story is about to pick up pace and hopefully get into the nitty gritty aspects I want to write about XD
> 
> I appreciate feed back and will do my best to respond. I don't mind reading about ideas for the story. 
> 
> I will begin updating this fic every Sunday. If something happens and I am unable to update please check the last chapter posted and I will put updated information there about when the next chapter will be posted. 
> 
> Thanks for reading! Hugs! <3


	4. His Greatest Creation

The next week passed quite smoothly for Peter. He went to school and hung out with Flash. He still didn’t know what to make of his one time bully hanging out around him and being nice. It was definitely off putting. He rolled with it though just because it was nice talking about …teenager things. Like video games and comics. Peter listened respectfully when Flash talked about sports but on the flip side, he listened to Peter go on about tech and science. While it sometimes made Peter feel like he was in a twilight zone at times, it was refreshing. The rest of the time he managed to balance working with Tony in his lab and being Spider-Man. He had curfew now and he respected it but he was going to use up as much of that time as possible.

            He finally met the Black Widow who gave him a look that made Peter positive that she knew who he was. He also got to meet Rhodey. Both had come in with Steve and Tony, talking about Avenger business. Peter made himself scarce out of guilt and respect. He felt like he was eavesdropping on private conversations he knew that the Avengers wouldn’t want others like Spider-Man over hearing. He was fiddling around in the kitchen, trying not to runaway and draw attention to himself, when he perked up at the mention of his alter ego.

            “Spider-Man is now working the Sniegoski case.”

            “For real?” Sam asked casually, sipping his coffee.

            “With Deadpool at that,” Natasha answer.

            “What is the status on good ole Spidey?” Tony inquired, seemingly nonchalant, and Peter frowned.

            “We don’t know anything yet. He’s good at covering his tracks but as long as he doesn’t commit any crimes that can’t be ignored, we are leaving him be. At this point he’s not a threat…”

            “But he could become one,” Steve finished for her.

            Tony growled. “I want to know what kind of tech he’s using. Where is he getting it from?”

            Peter swallowed hard, busying himself with his own coffee, but he couldn’t help himself. “What they say about him, you know, in the papers? Do you guys think that too?”

            The adults looked at one another before Steve answered. “We believe Spider-Man is just trying to keep his home safe but he is an unknown factor. Why, Peter?”

            “Oh! Uh, I just know a lot of…people my age are fans of Spidey.”

            “Are you a fan, Peter?” Natasha asked coyly.

            Peter shrugged with a guilty grin. “You could say that.”

            “You are going to pick a masked vigilante who swings from webs over Iron Man? Who is sitting right in front of you?” Tony gasped, feigning hurt.

            “You have the power to ground me. Kinda sucks the fun out of everything.” Peter picked up his drink and walked pass them. “And with that I’m going to my room and stay out of trouble.”

            As he made his way to the apartment he heard Rhodey say, “I like him. I hope he gives you a hard time, Tony.”

 

            Peter winced in sympathy as metal clashed and Tony grunted from across the lab. Swiveling around in his chair he took in the sight of his godfather sucking his thumb. He knew that Tony was working on a new modification to his suit, a fine tuning of the temperature regulators. Peter thought about voicing his opinion but he was worried that if he opened that door then there would be no stopping Tony from pushing his limits. If it had been a month ago, Peter would totally be geeking out over getting to work with Tony Stark but now? It posed a risk of him discovering that he was Spider-Man. He created his own tech and not to mention the studying he did into the cross-species genetics. It was easier to stick to the computer work.

            “Damn it,” Tony hissed as he picked up the pieces off the floor.

            Standing from his seat, he walked over to Tony and peered down at the materials on the table. “Need help?”

            Tony raised a brow critically. “Can you come up with a solution so that my temperature regulator can maintain in cases of absolute zero or high exposures to heat?”

            Peter frowned worriedly. “You think you’ll come across something like that?”

            The man shrugged. “You don’t know what’s out their locked away in a lab, waiting to be used as a weapon. I just want to have a suit that can handle it.”

            Peter nodded, running over the facts and theories that he knew about the subject. He studied the items on the table a moment longer. “You’ll need a material that won’t change when exposed to absolute zero.”           

            The older man’s eyes narrowed. “Explain.”

            “Well, I just know that you’ll need something that will shield you against cold temperatures. Like something that will heat up your suit without cooking you on the inside. I know Oscorp was experimenting with nano-tech laced fibers.”

            “How do you know that?”

            Peter blinked, realizing his mistake instantly. “I-I was friends with Mr. Osborn’s son, Harry. He showed me some stuff.”

            “Explain how the nano-tech fiber can benefit me.”

            Peter gaped at Tony for a moment, realizing that Tony was testing him. The man already knew but he wanted to see if Peter knew too. He gulped. “You can line your suit with the fibers without any added bulk but the tech should keep your suit from freezing up and leaving you immobile or worse. It also helps that the tech is something that you could probably control at your discretion. You know… like nanobots.”

            Tony made a noise in the back of his throat that almost made him sound impressed. He motioned Peter to follow him to another table where he had something in the works. He began quizzing Peter on his knowledge of mechanics and science. What was interesting was the way Tony asked the questions. They were never straight forward and always open to interpretation. Peter answered in the most critical ways he could come up with. When Tony was done with his interrogation, he gave Peter an amazed look.

            “What the hell are you still doing in high school?”

            Peter shrugged. “I don’t know. I like it…?”

            “Do you realize how intelligent you are?” Tony pressed and Peter shifted uncomfortably.

            “I mean. I’m not _that_ smart. I do okay. I just like to read.”

            Tony gave him an appalled look. “You are certainly more humble than me when I was your age.”

            Peter rubbed a hand through his hair. He really didn’t like this kind of attention on him. “I just like science and I’ve read all your papers.”

            Tony’s brows climbed his forehead. “You read my academic journals? For fun or school assignment?”

            “For fun?” Peter answered, suddenly unsure of where this was going.

            “You were at the top of your class,” Tony said, his voice taking on a serious edge. “Now you rank some where in the middle and still falling but you can tell me how to correct the oxygen flow for the most optimal use in my suit and propose theories in how to deal with extreme temperatures to ensure I live and you read research papers that even adults with Phds have trouble understanding for entertainment.” His godfather turned, looking at him with an almost worried expression. “What happened, Peter?”

            He blanched, shocked by the turn of the events. He should have just stayed by the computer, doing the ridiculous codes. Could that count towards his bad decision tally? Probably. Shaking himself, Peter stuttered a reply, “I don’t know what you mean.”

            Tony scoffed, turning back to his work. “Keep lying, Peter, if that’s what helps you sleep at night. You have so much potential. Don’t throw it away.”

 

            Peter was shaken by the encounter with Tony. That relationship was tedious at best but Peter couldn’t shake the feeling of anxiety building in his chest. So he did the one thing he knew would make him feel just a little bit better. He put on the Spider-Man suit. He was on his usual nightly patrol when he ran into Deadpool. Or more accurately swung into Deadpool. His senses flared half a second too late for him to really react as he swung around the corner of a building and collided with another human body. He grunted as he lost his grip and they toppled down the side and onto the roof of a shorter building. He saw the now familiar red and black costume out of the corner of his eye.

            “What the hell, Deadpool!”

            “You know you really should watch where you are going.”

            “I am swinging from a sky scraper. You think I’m worried about traffic up here? Besides. How in the hell did I smack into you?”

            “I leapt from the building when I saw you coming,” Deadpool retorted. “I didn’t think it would actually work.”

            Peter gaped at him. “Are you trying to kill yourself?”

            “All the time. But I don’t worry about it. I have a healing factor better than Wolverine’s.”

            He got to his feet, shaking his head. “Still. If you go splat on the pavement, someone will have to clean it up.”           

            Deadpool shrugged, jumping to his own feet. “It was still fun though.”

            “Why did you jump out of a window to see me?”

            “Know anything from our _Snogski_ yet?”

            “No, SHIELD is still trying to crack him. Don’t worry I’ll let you know as soon as I know something.”

            Deadpool huffed. “I’m tired of waiting. I’m getting bored.”

            “Do you…do you want to join me while I patrol the city?”

            “For real?” He asked excitedly.

            “Same rules apply.”

            “No problem, Spidey! Hey, can I ride on your back while you are swinging through the city? It would be so romantic.”

            “How about no.”

            “Oh, that’s no fun.”

            “Get over it.”

            “Man, what crawled up your spidey butt and died?”

            “My city. My rules.”

            “I bet I can kick your ass,” Deadpool grumbled but it didn’t hold any real malice so Peter let it slide. Instead he focused on the police reports in his com. Alarms were going off in a gun shop near by.

            “Got work to do.” Peter said before jumping off the building and heading direction of the possible break in. When he got there he found two young men shoving various fire arms into bags. It was quick work and he was done by the time Deadpool came running in.

            “Oh! Come on! Spidey, stop being a dick!”

            Peter snickered, dragging the merc back out as sirens drew closer. “I’ll let you help on the next one.”

            They spent the rest of Peter’s patrol together, stopping petty criminals, and he found he enjoyed having someone to work with. Wade held up his end of the bet, not killing anyone, and it was just…working. Wade was fascinating. In between bouts with criminals, the merc talked about all sorts of things and even explained his rants with no one.

            “Voices. The boxes. In my head. I got them when I got my healing factor.”

            Peter blinked in surprise. “I…Uh…Do they…”

            Wade snorted. “Subtle, Spidey. Don’t worry _they_ don’t tell me to kill people. Though they do suggest it on occasion.”

            “Huh, I don’t know if that’s reassuring or not.”

            Eventually Peter had to leave for the night but he paused before leaving. “If nothing awful happens before then, my next patrol is Saturday starting around three if you want to join me. Meet me here.”

            “Will do! I’ll bring food!”

 

            The first time he stepped foot in Flash Thompson’s house, Peter wasn’t sure what to think. The house seemed like any other house. Had a neat little kitchen, a living room cluttered with furniture around an older model TV and a scuffed dinning table in an off room where Peter could see some of the wall paper peeling at the corners from age. To the naked eye, it was typical. Similar to his own home with Aunt May but…something dark lingered here. He had gotten this feeling before walking into dingy allies and abandoned buildings where danger was lurking. He couldn’t see any obvious signs of something being amiss but he couldn’t shake the feeling.

            Flash led him upstairs to his bed room, not unlike Peter’s. He closed the door behind him and threw his bag on the bed, motioning for Peter to sit at the beaten desk. He took a second to take stock of Flash’s things. There was sport equipment in one corner, selves of comics, video games, and movies near the TV. A twin bed pushed against the wall, under the window. There was even a Spider-Man poster on the wall next to some basketball player. Peter smiled a little at that. To know Flash was a fan gave him hope. Of course he didn’t plan on telling the other teen but he might just pay him a visit in the suit to say thanks for not being a dick all the time now.

            Peter sat down at the desk, propping his own bag against his knees, and pulled out his books and computer. They talked while doing their homework. It became a thing for them. Peter helped Flash with his math classes which provided good reviews for himself. It had an apparent feeling of normalcy.

            Peter took a break after about two hours of cramming for chemistry and checked his emails. Specifically his Spider-Man account. His heart skipped when he saw an email from Coulson. He checked for viruses or anything that any agents would use to find his location or hack his computer to find out his secret identity. Once he deemed it safe, he opened it up and read the email. He hummed in thought at the information provided to him. He needed to call Wade as soon as possible.

            “Do you need anything to eat or drink?” Flash asked, standing and stretching.

            “I’ll take a water if you are offering.”

            “Sure. I’ll be back.”            

            As soon as the jock was out of the room Peter was calling Deadpool.

            “This is the Spidey hot line! Please hold.”

            “Deadpool, I have news on your guy.”

            “Do tell. Don’t keep all the juicy gossip to yourself.”

            “This Charlie guy isn’t far enough up the food chain to tell us where your guy is but he did tell us about an arms deal going down tomorrow night at the docks at midnight.”

            “Always the docks…” Deadpool grumbled. “Okay! See you there.”

            Peter shoved the phone back in his pocket as Flash returned, tossing him a bottle of water. They worked a little longer in silence. Peter wondered what he could say that would allow him to get out of his curfew and especially with it being so late. He had been doing good. His aunt had praised him over the phone just last night. Now she was staying in Chicago strictly to take care of her sister. Peter had reassured her at this point that he was fine and for her to take all the time she needed. If she would be gone for much longer, he would come visit her during his next break. He had to come up with something but then an idea hit him.

            He closed his book and cleared his throat. “Hey, Flash…can I ask you for a favor?”

            The jock gave him a look like he knew where he was going with this. “Sure.”

            “Can you cover for me? Tomorrow night. I’ll be spending the night here with you.”

            “Oh? What are we doing?”

            Peter flushed slightly at how that could be taken the wrong way. “Binge watching the Walking Dead and playing video games? That’s believable right?”

            “Sure. What are you really doing?”

            “Don’t worry about it.”

            “Are you ever going to tell me…Its not like illegal or anything is it?”

            Peter shrugged. “No, its not drugs or drinking or anything like that…I just have…I volunteer my time someplace and just don’t want people to know about it. It makes me keep odd hours.”

            “And gives you black eyes.”

            Peter smiled at that. “Yeah.”

            “You are horrible liar, Parker.”

            “I’m not lying…I’m just not telling the whole truth.”

            “Whatever. Just don’t get yourself killed because I’m covering for you.”

            “I might come here after I get done. Is that cool?”

            Flash seemed to hesitate and Peter added, “I’ll come in through the window and I’ll be quiet so I don’t wake your dad.”

            “We are on the second floor.”

            Peter smirked. “I’m a good climber.”

           

            He headed straight to the docks after he left Flash’s. He had a day to prepare for the probable fight that was going to happen tomorrow. He wanted to take advantage of it, to scope it out and have a game plan ready. Peter kept an eye out for any suspicious behavior as he cased the area, wondering through the buildings. He gave off the appearance of just some kid, doing tricks on his skateboard. Until his phone began buzzing in his pocket.

            He saw it was Steve’s number. “Hello?”

            “Peter,” came the Captain’s voice, “you are late for dinner.”

            “Oh! I’m so sorry, Steve!” His roommates liked to eat together three nights out of the week. No doubt they were worried when he didn’t show. “I’m on my way to the tower now.”

            “Where are you?”

            “I was with Flash, studying, and when we got done I went skateboarding. I guess I lost track of the time. I’ll be there in about ten.”

            “Okay, be careful. We’ll wait for you.”

            Peter swung part of the way and ran the rest, out of breath as he skidded into the final elevator. He hurried to the kitchen, waving at Sam and Nat as he rushed pass. He felt a pang of guilt at the sight of the four adults waiting for him.

            “I’m so sorry,” he gushed again, dropping his things by his seat.

            Steve huffed in good humor. “Its alright, Peter. How often has Tony not even shown to these dinners? I was just worried about you that’s all.”

            Peter’s chest clenched as Captain patted him kindly on the shoulder. He vaguely wondered what it would be like if he knew. If all of them knew that he was Spider-Man. Perhaps angry and betrayed he’d imagine. It was obvious none of them trusted his alter ego so good things wouldn’t come if they discovered that he had been hiding under their noses the whole time.

            They sat at the table and ate while the adults talked about their day, Pepper telling Tony about meetings he needed to appear at over the next week. When he argued, Pepper explained, again, that while he wasn’t head of the company any more he was still a stockholder and he needed to show up. Steve and Bucky spoke quietly about a mission they were needed on next week. Peter was still wary of Bucky. Great measures were being taken to help the Winter Soldier’s shaky mind but like all things it took time. He had a few very awkward and stunted conversations with Steve’s partner because Peter was honestly busting at the seems to ask both men questions about their World War II days but felt like it was rude to ask.

            When there was a break, Peter tapped his fingers nervously against the table as he asked, “I was wondering if I could spend the night at Flash’s tomorrow? It’s not a school night. We are going to binge watch the Walking Dead before the premiere. Is that…cool?”

            Tony gave him a calculated look. “Okay. I don’t see why not.”

            Peter gave a relieved smile. “Thanks, Tony.”

 

            Deadpool was waiting for him near the docks at the point they agreed on. It was half an hour until midnight. Peter had just gotten a text from Flash, _Be careful_ , and Peter felt bad all over again. He’d sent back a quick, _I’m safe,_ before pocketing it. Deadpool was without his guns again but had his signature swords.

            “Ready for a super team up, Spidey?”

            “Please don’t do anything to catch me off guard…and no elbowing me to the face.”

            “We’ve worked great together over the past week.”

            “Well those were petty criminals. I posed more of a danger to myself than any of the guys we’ve encountered over the last few days. This? It’s different. Just don’t get me killed because I don’t have a super awesome healing factor that rivals Wolverine’s.”

            “Okay. Okay. Honestly, I would hate to see your spectacular spidey butt cease to exist.”

            “Oh, god. Stop talking about my butt.”

            “I’m pretty sure God’s not talking about your butt but if he was I bet he’s calling it his greatest creation. I mean I can go on waxing poetry about your ass—”

            “WADE! Focus!”

            “Maybe you should’ve thought about this before deciding on tight spandex as your final costume design.”

            Peter shook his head but stilled as he heard cars pulling up. He peered down the building to see what was happening. Sure enough vehicles were pulling up to a garage. One guy got out and opened the metal door before motioning the others through. It was then that the eighteen wheeler rolled in and Peter knew that the guy hadn’t been lying. A truck that big, surrounded with powerful black cars, definitely meant something fishy was happening. A few minutes later several more vehicles pulled into the building’s garage.

            “So how are we playing this, Spidey?” Deadpool whispered.

            “Depends on whether or not you actually listen to me.” Peter whispered right back, mockingly.

            “Oh, very funny.”

            “I checked this place out earlier. I loosened a skylight over the garage. Lets get over there and I’ll lower you in first. We must get the guys running this operation. The rest knock them out or keep them contained in some way. Let the cops deal with them.”

            “You know, Spidey, prisons these days are very over crowded. I bet they’ll let these guys walk within a few months.”

            “And in a few months when I catch them committing a crime, I’ll put them right back. No killing.”

            Deadpool sighed dramatically. “Yes, mom.”

            Peter snatched the merc by the straps on his suit and swung them both over to the building. Deadpool straightened, and Peter could feel the glare through the mask. “Give a guy a little warning!”

            “Shhhhh!” He crept over to the window he had loosened earlier and opened it, waving Wade over. He quickly lowered the merc in before following. They crouched on a scaffolding, looking down as the armed men opened the back of the van. This time it was easy to see who was in charge. The guy was dressed in an expensive black suit and his face was pinched in annoyance as the buyer reached into the fully stocked tuck of weapons.

            “Holy sweet Jesus of spidermonkey babies,” Deadpool breathed out, transfixed on the truck full of guns. “I just popped a boner.”

            If they weren’t in a small area with bad guys and loaded weapons, Peter would have pushed Wade off the ledge. He couldn’t though, not without giving away their presence. Peter turned back to the scene unfolding below them. He couldn’t understand why anyone would want to smuggle in so many weapons.

            “Why would anyone want that many guns?”

            “Because they are beautiful.”

            “Other than you.”

            The merc sobered up and responded seriously. “He’s trying to start a war.”

            “A war?”

            “Yeah, right now the New York area is sitting pretty cozy with you running around stopping crime. He’s trying to uptick it to the point you can’t control it.”

            “The Avengers and SHIELD…”

            “Will let it go,” Wade hissed. “Come on, Spidey, they deal with big threats. Hydra has them chasing their tails. You think they will take off from international affairs rather than deal with an ant bed in their backyard? Don’t think so.”

            Peter’s frown deepened. Essentially Deadpool was saying that if he didn’t stop this it would escalate and the agencies he was slowly coming to trust would let the city rot. He growled in frustrations. “Let’s do this.”

            Deadpool pulled his swords from their sheaths and dropped from the ledge, landing on a van. “Hello gents!”

            “You always bring knives to a gun fight?” The leader asked, seeming unworried.

            “They are katanas, you soggy bag of dick lint.” Deadpool roared before launching into fighting.

            Peter shook his head as he began his own work of webbing and bouncing around the garage. He made sure to pin the guy in the suit so he didn’t slip away during the chaos. He landed next to a pair and began fighting hand to hand with them. He tossed one guy into the other and webbed them together. He then shot out another strand and dragged another criminal closer to him. The guy had been taking aim at Wade. He didn’t care how good of a healing factor he had, surely Deadpool couldn’t survive a bullet to the brain. He knocked the guy out and turned to fight another when he felt white hot pain through his side. He knew he had been shot, recognizing the feeling. So he quickly drew back, disappearing to a dark corner of the garage to make sure it wasn’t fatal. He did promise Flash.

            It was just a graze and once he was sure he would live, he helped Wade finish dispatching the rest of the criminals. He heaved a sigh as Wade kicked the last guy on the back of the head. Peter walked over to the suit, searching his pockets. He found a wallet full of cash and an ID.

            “So this is fake right? You aren’t that stupid to carry around a real ID when committing crimes right?”

            The man merely spat at him and Peter had a retort on his tongue when he heard Wade call out, “Hope you don’t mind, but I’m helping myself to your semi-automatics.”

            “No, Deadpool. Leave those for the cops.”

            “Just one?”

            “I said no.” Peter turned back to the man. “Why are you selling so many?”

            “Good profit.”

            Peter’s hand snatched around his throat, squeezing. “ _Why?_ ”

            “Why else? Boss wants to rule this city. You tear it apart, make people desperate enough they’ll elect anyone to be an official who can promise to undo it.”

            Peter drew back, his face pinched in worry. “I’m taking you to SHIELD.”

            “You are hurt, Spidey.” Deadpool said as he pulled him away.

            “I’ll be fine. It’s just a graze. Was this why you were hired to kill him?”

            “I’m not always given a ‘why’, Spidey. This was one of those times.”

            “Okay. Go. I’m calling the police to come get them.”

            He repeated what he did last time and he felt weary as he strolled into SHIELD. He dumped the man in the front lobby. He was shocked to see Steve with Clint this time. They were walking over with worried frowns. Peter almost asked what Steve was doing here so late as he took in the tired lines of the older man’s face. He caught himself realizing how weird that would have been coming from a masked vigilante.

            “You are injured, Spider-Man.”

            “All part of the job. Brought you guys a present.”

            Clint took one look at the man’s face and whistled. “Damn you actually got Cashmore.”

            “It wasn’t hard. Anyone could have done it if they really wanted to.” He said with a little more bite than he intended.

            Both men frowned. “Are you implying something?”

            Peter shook his head. “Long night.”

 

            Peter hesitated outside of Flash’s house. He was in his street clothes, his wound neatly bandaged but still aching. He knew that Flash was waiting for him, judging by the light on his bedroom. Sighing heavily, he quickly scaled the side of the house, slipping through the open window. Flash was flipping through an old comic on the bed. He immediately straightened, putting the reading aside.

            “Hey, Parker.”

            He set his bag down at the foot of the bed and toed of his shoes. “Hey. Sorry it’s so late.”

            “It’s only two in the morning.”

            “You are first person to ever be that chill about me coming in at odd hours… I need sleep.”

            Flash stood, walking over to his closet and pulled out a shirt and sweats. “Here. Change into this.”

            Without thinking, Peter began shrugging off his clothes. They were both guys so Peter didn’t think anything of it until he had finished pulling on the pants and heard Flash make a worried sound. His head whipped up to see the other boy staring at his torso. He glanced down and groaned. His midsection was wrapped tightly in white bandages, now turning pink as blood seeped through.

            “It’s nothing.” He said tugging on the shirt, feeling passing irk at how the clothes still hung off of him. He would think with being Spider-Man he would bulk up to be at least Flash’s size.

            “Doesn’t look like nothing…Peter, are you in some kind of trouble?”

            “No. I’m tired. Can we just go to sleep.”

            Flash looked ready to argue but then he nodded. “Wall side or room side?”

            “Wait.” Peter said, eyes going wide. “You are cool with sharing a bed?”

            “I’m not sleeping on the floor and I’m not making you sleep on the floor while injured.”

            Peter hesitated before saying, “wall side.” He climbed into the bed, trying not to over think it. Flash laid down next to him, turning off the light. They both had to lay on their sides for there to be enough room, backs pressed together. It took Peter a second to relax. He heard Flash ask, “are you ever going to tell me?”

            “Maybe one day,” he replied but he would never tell Flash the truth. His reasoning was the same as why he hasn’t told his aunt. He already learned that people knowing what he did would only lead to them getting hurt. Peter couldn’t allow that to happen. He made the mistake before and it had left nothing but a trail of fatal destruction in it’s wake. Flash could never know, just like his aunt, and if they ever got close enough that the other teen began questioning or figuring it out, Peter was prepared to cut him out of his life completely.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone! The response has been incredible and I have big plans for upcoming chapters. 
> 
> Also I know that things are progressing very slow for Peter and Wade but I promise their relationship will pick up and it will be worth the wait XD (hopefully ^.^)
> 
> >>>Updates are every Sunday!!!


	5. Making Friends

Since he became Spider-Man he had nightmares. They were always sporadic and varied. However there was one dream that repeated itself. It was always the same but if there were any changes he didn’t notice because he was usually too distraught to consider analyzing the dream afterwards. He shuddered in his sleep, unaware as he slipped into that very same nightmare. He could see the faces of all the lives that had been lost because of him. The clock was ticking and then he was in the bottom of the clock tower, clutching the lifeless body to his chest.

 

            _Screaming. All he can remember is screaming in the bottom of that clock tower. It wasn’t until after that he realized that it was him._

 

            Peter sat up suddenly, his breath coming fast and ragged. His throat felt tight and sweat rolled down his temple. He tumbled out of the bed, staggering to the bathroom, careful not to be loud as he threw up into the toilet, his stomach clenching painfully. His limbs felt weak and his hands shook as he cleaned away the mess and the tears.

            “Fuck,” he swore quietly, trying to fight the panic rising in his chest. Why now? Everything had been going just fine. Okay. He was lying. The way he lied to others, to Tony, Steve, his aunt, and even Flash had nothing on the way he lied to himself. He hadn’t been fine in awhile. He figured he could just ignore it and maybe it would just go away but when he had nightmares or severe panic attacks it was like a slap in the face and he couldn’t just ignore it. It was moments like these, in the quiet of the night that he had to confront the darkness that lingered in him and threatened to swallow him alive. If he could just hold out a little longer, smile and crack a joke, maybe he’ll start to be himself again but that was just him lying to himself. He didn’t want to even think about what would happen if he stopped fighting.

            He came out of the bathroom, staring at his bedroom for a moment. Knowing that he wouldn’t be getting anymore sleep tonight, he crept to the kitchen. Peter rubbed at his chest, it felt like a painful vise. Part of him just wanted to go crawl in bed and hide but he knew he couldn’t do that. He had school and the others would question him if he asked to take a sick day. He couldn’t draw that kind of attention to himself, having them asking questions he couldn’t answer.

            He cut on the lights in the kitchen and got a glass of water. He checked the time, seeing it was four in the morning. It would be another two hours before they expected him to be up. Going back to bed wasn’t an option. He didn’t even want to be alone but Flash was asleep and he wasn’t that close to the guy yet to bother him at odd hours and he wasn’t about to go wake Tony or Steve. So he just guzzled an entire glass of water before turning to refill it.

            “What are you doing up?” A soft, deep voice asked.

            Peter whirled around and saw Bucky standing there. The guy was dressed in a sleeveless shirt and athletic shorts like he was about to head to the gym. Like Steve, he had crazy stamina so Peter imagined that was exactly where the Winter Soldier was heading. “I…uh, couldn’t sleep.”

            Bucky gave him a long calculating look. “I know.”

            Peter’s heart stopped and his eyes widened. “You know?” He hadn’t spent a whole lot of time talking to Bucky. The guy was quiet and very observant. He just figured that he was like the superspy to rule all superspies. Peter reasoned it was the nearly seventy years of being trained by Hydra. Now that is very private information but Peter did have an acute curiosity and the skills to hack SHIELD files. In all honesty, Peter felt bad for Bucky. Only a handful of times had Peter actually seen Bucky relax and that had usually been around Steve and Sam.

            “You have nightmares. I’ve seen that look before.”

            “Oh, uh…” What did someone say to that?

            Bucky shrugged and then tilted his head in thought. “Go change. You can come run with me and Steve.”

            Peter was about to dismiss it but then he thought what the hell. It’s not like he was going to do anything else until he had to get ready for school. He gave a small nod and returned to his room to pull on a shirt and jogging pants before pulling on a hoodie. He liked wearing layers around the others for several reasons. Some being to hide injuries and his Spider-Man build. Wordlessly, he followed Bucky down the building until they were out on the street. Bucky walked him through some light stretches while they waited for Steve to show.

            When the Cap came out of the building, obviously looking around, and when he saw Peter standing next to Bucky, he frowned just a hair in confusion. “Please don’t tell me you pulled him out of bed to just run with us.”

            “He was already up,” Bucky replied, his voice lighter.

            Steve didn’t look reassured by that as he turned to Peter. “Not to make it sound like it’s a problem but why are you up so early? You don’t have school for another three hours.”

            Peter glanced at Bucky and realized that he wasn’t saying anything. He was letting Peter answer how he wanted. “Uh, I had a nightmare and couldn’t sleep.”

            Steve nodded. “I see. Come on. I’m happy to have you. Do you run often?”

            “Some,” Peter replied, relieved that he wasn’t pressing the issue. _Just not the way you think._

            They started off slow, winding their way to the park. Peter knew he could keep pace with the super soldiers for a little while at least but he started faking breathlessness by the time they reached the park. They paused and Peter made a show of resting his hands on his knees. “Go ahead. I’ll follow.”

            Steve snorted fondly. “We’ll wait.”

            Peter found himself over whelmed with want to tell Steve the truth just so they could run together properly but he squashed down the desire to do so. After a moment, Bucky nudged Steve and they all looked to see Sam jogging over. Peter straightened and sighed hopefully.

            “Good morning, guys. Peter, what are you doing here?”

            Peter shrugged. “Couldn’t sleep. These two dragged me out.”

            Sam grinned. “It’ll be good to have someone to run with for once rather than these show offs.”

            “Yeah,” Peter replied, flushing slightly. “Let’s go?”

            It was much easier to keep pace with Sam without having to fake exhaustion. The other two ran ahead, clearly holding back though. He was sure though that Sam wasn’t pushing it either. They simply jogged through the park, the extra layers causing Peter to sweat and his face flush. It wasn’t until halfway through the run did he realize that he had forgotten why he was even out here running to begin with. The nightmare was pushed to the back of his mind as he listened to Sam’s annoyed quips about super soldiers. He’d laugh breathlessly and make his own comments.

            They stopped around day break to do stretches again and walk back to the tower. Sam passed him a water bottle from his pack and chugged his own. “So how is living with Tony and Steve going?”

            Peter shrugged. “It’s okay. I mean they are cool and not over bearing or anything.”

            They watched Steve and Bucky pass by them as they got in a few more laps before heading back. Sam said, “you know they are worried about you.”

            He looked at the Falcon sharply. “What?”

            “They are worried about you.” He repeated patiently. “Your aunt sent you to live them for a reason but they still haven’t figured out what it was that you were doing to get beaten up or come home late. They are worried that when your aunt returns and you go back to living with her you’ll fall back.”

            Peter looked down, nudging a stone with his shoe. “They don’t need to worry. I’m not doing anything.”

            “Now you aren’t. What were you doing before?”

            He tried not to get miffed with him because he really did like Sam. “Don’t worry about it. It’s not important.”

            “Hey, hey. I don’t want to make you mad…but if you ever need someone to talk to, you can talk to any of us. What you say will stay between us and you won’t get in trouble.”

            “Okay…thanks.”

            Sam clapped him on the shoulder, smiling. “Come on. You need to eat breakfast after a run like that and get ready for school. I make a mean egg, bacon, cheese and spinach casserole.”

 

            “How are you doing, Peter?”

            “I’m fine, Aunt May.” Peter responded patiently as he walked along the street.

            “I just worry about you…It’s been hard away from you.”

            His heart clenched at that. “I know.”

            “But I hear you are doing better! Is living with Tony helping you at all?”

            Peter laughed lightly at the excitement in her voice. “Yeah,” he lied because he wasn’t really sure. “It’s helping.”

            “Good! I hope one day we can talk about what has happened but as long as you are okay and happy I can rest easy.”

            “I never meant to worry you…”

            “I know, honey… You carry the weight of the world on your shoulders and that is far too much for any young man. You need to learn to share that burden with the people who care about you.”

            “Okay,” he answered, swallowing against the thickness in his throat. “So, uh, how much longer are you staying in Chicago?”

            “For a little while longer. We’ve been discussing more permanent solutions so I can come home. Just hang in there a little longer, Peter. Living with Tony is doing good.”

            “Yeah, okay. Take all the time you need, Aunt May.”

            “Thank you, Peter. I’m so proud of you.”

 

            “So how is SHIELD doing since the whole Hydra debacle?” Peter asked as he strolled into Coulson’s office. The agent, well, now director, gave him one of those patient smiles that promised hell for who ever pissed the guy off. Probably Peter, knowing his luck.

            “We are doing fine. Thank you for asking.”

            “Okay, why did you call me in?”

            “We would like a report of Deadpool. How is your partnership working out?”

            “We are doing great. I have to remind him to take his medicine morning and night but he makes great pancakes and keeps the home clean when I’m out stopping crime.”

            “Spider-Man…”

            “What do you want me to say?” Peter huffed, exasperated. “I’m watching him and he hasn’t hurt anyone since we’ve started working together.”

            Coulson was silent for a moment before nodding. “I want to thank you for your assistance. Deadpool is quite the handful and we are in no position to deal with him currently.”

            Peter bit back a sigh. “Anything else?”

            “Yes, I am going to have to ask you to fly solo on the Sniegoski case.”

            “Are you serious?” Peter snapped, ignoring the surprised look on Coulson’s face. “You were the one who pushed it on me.”

            “I’m aware but we have other…more pressing matters at hand.”

            Peter was stunned as he glared at the man across the desk. He knew that SHIELD was still trying to rebuild after everything that happened. He realized that Wade was right. When push come to shove, Peter was the sole protector of the New York. Sure the Avengers did their part with armies of aliens and robots but what about the stuff that threatened the city from the inside? Peter was genuinely concerned about the threat of this Sniegoski. He was also tired of being used and tossed aside like some sort of B-list superhero.

            He stood, drawing himself to his full height. “I understand. If that is how you want it but your people stay away from me. Do you understand? Stay out of my business and don’t come asking for help.” Peter turned on his heel and stalked out of the office, with Coulson calling after him. He pushed pass a very shocked looking Hawkeye. Peter didn’t care. He’d protect the city on his own if he had to. He’d go back to the way it was before.

            Hours later he was sitting on a ledge next to Wade, eating a pizza and drinking sodas as they waited for crime to happen. He had found himself confiding in Deadpool as soon as the merc showed up with the food. He just nodded sympathetically, adding a comment every now and then as he stuffed his face with pizza. Peter had his own mask pulled up to his nose as he ate, pointedly not looking at Wade in respect for secret identities even though he did know his name but he didn’t know what he looked like.

            “That’s government agencies for you. You know? Taking advantage of nice folk like you, Spidey.”

            “Thanks, Deadpool.”

            “Call me Wade.”

            Peter blinked at that. “For real?”

            “Yeah, I feel like we are transcending into this weird friend zone, bonding over corrupted agencies and pizza. I think we’ve gotten to first name basis.”

            “I’m not telling you my name.”

            Wade groaned. “Okay, fine. It was worth a shot.”

            Peter laughed as the merc proceeded to argue with his boxes. He had gotten good at telling who Wade was talking to. It was surprisingly as awkward as answering a stranger’s question who happened to be using Bluetooth for a phone call. Seriously there needs to be some kind of signal of when someone is on the phone. Peter learned quickly so he wouldn’t be answering Wade’s questions to the boxes.

            “You’re right…” Wade finally muttered before turning to Peter again. “Daredevil.”

            “What about him?” Peter asked as he took another big bite.

            “You aren’t alone here, Spidey. Devil boy loves this city too. I mean he sticks to Hell’s Kitchen but I bet he’ll help us.”

            Peter hummed in thought. He had encountered the man only once and that had been a slightly terrifying experience. The guy was intense and intimidating but Peter trusted him. “Maybe he knows some stuff about Sniegoski.”

            “ _Snogski_. Come on, Spidey. Code names are very important.”

            “Wade, that’s not much of a code name.”

            “Lets see…His name is Edward…Edward Cullen. Sparkly vampires…Count Dracula!”

            “But that’s just calling him after someone who already exists and it doesn’t even make sense. I mean does he drink the blood of his victims or has pointy teeth at least? I mean the entire vampire thing a few years ago was awesome but totally got out of hand.”

            Deadpool gasped dramatically, nearly toppling the pizza if not for Peter’s quick reflexes. “You are right! I can’t believe I forgot! There already is a Dracula in this Marvel Universe!”

            “Marvel— What? Wade, what are you talking about?”

            “We shall rename Snogski as Edward Sparkle-dick.”

            “Are you five?”

            “Do not question greatness. Sparkle-dick it is.”

            “No. How about we just call him Sniegoski.”

            “But we need code names so the baddies don’t know we are talking about him.”

            “No.”

            “You are no fun.”

            “You still hang around don’t you?”

            The eyes of Wade’s mask narrowed a fraction. “I don’t like you.”

            Peter broke out in a grin. “Don’t like you either, Wade.” They bickered back and forth until he heard his phone ding from the pocket of his bag. He pulled it out, expecting a text from Tony or Steve. He frowned when he saw it was from Flash.

            _Call 911._

            His heart stopped as he stared at the message in shock. “I have to go.”

            “Wait —”

            “Not now, Wade. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

            Peter dropped off the roof without a second thought, swinging towards Flash’s house. The place seemed quiet when he arrived. Peter had to take a deep breath to keep from panicking before entering the house through Flash’s window, wondering what had happened. It was oddly quiet but his spidey-senses were flaring in alarm. Or maybe it was just his natural intuition. He didn’t know at this point as he edged stealthily out into the familiar hallway and down the stairs. His breath hitched when he saw his friend beaten and bleeding on the floor, unmoving, as his father paced in the kitchen waving around a gun and muttering beneath his breath. Time seemed to slow down around him as he tried to process what had happened. It was obvious. The evidence was there but he just couldn’t…

            He saw red as rage burned through him, hot and fast, but he managed to reign it in as he quickly dispatched the older Thompson and webbed him to the wall. When the man began to yell and pitch a fit, Peter struck him hard enough to knock him out. For a split second he wanted to do so much more to that man but he hurried over to Flash’s side instead, carefully rolling him onto his back. He swallowed hard as he took in the swollen and bloodied face but he heard labored breathing and something told Peter that he wouldn’t survive until paramedics got here. With trembling hands he quickly wrapped his friend in a blanket, layering it with webs to keep it stiff so he wouldn’t bend as they swung through the city. As he worked, Flash twitched and groaned.

            “Spider-Man?” Came the broken question.

            Peter released a sigh. “Oh thank God. Hang in there, Flash. I’m taking you to the hospital.”

            “My d-dad…”

            “Don’t worry about him. Just focus on you.”

            “Don’t tell anyone… _Please._ ”

            “I won’t. It’s okay. Shhhhh.”

            Flash looked ready to say something else but then he passed back out and Peter lifted him, fixing him across his back. He swung low and fast through the city, lower than he usually dared to but the matter was urgent. His heart was racing as he rushed into the ER, startling patients and the nursing staff.

            “I need help,” he said to one nurse who looked to be in charge as he shifted his hold on his friend. “He was beaten and I don’t know…His breathing is weird.”

            The woman looked shocked for a breath but then sprung into action, calling for a bed and staff. They took Flash away, checking his vitals and discussing possible injuries. Peter wanted to follow but he became hyper aware of hushed whispering and people taking pictures of him just standing there. The nurse returned with a clip board in hand. “Do you know who he is? Medical history?”

            “I-I don’t. Uh, I contacted his friend. He should be here shortly.”

            The older woman smiled patiently. “Alright then. I’ll be waiting for him.”

            Peter darted out of the hospital to go pull on his street clothes he had in his bag. A few minutes later he was rushing back into the ER, looking for the nurse. When he spotted her, he hurried over. “My friend, uh, Spider-Man just brought him in. Is he okay?”

            “Calm down. The doctors are doing everything they can. Do you think you can fill out this form?”

            He nodded shakily, taking the clipboard and pen. He filled out what of Flash’s information he knew and the nurse thanked him, telling him to go wait. Peter chose to lean against the wall, fidgeting and still trying to process this new information. The moments ticked by way too slow, causing an anxious tightening of his chest. He suddenly wanted to call Wade or Tony or Steve. Hell, even Sam and Bucky. He didn’t though. He just knew that if he heard their voices, Peter would just fall apart. So he stuck it out until the nurse came over with steaming cup of coffee and a kind smile.

            She rubbed his shoulder. “You did good, bringing him here. Any longer and we might not have been able to help him.”

            He looked up at her, shocked, and she just smiled. “He is being moved to the ICU unit. It’s in the Heart Wing. Would you like for me to walk you over.”

            “You don’t have to,” he said quietly.

            “I’d be glad to.”

            Gently, she steered him down the hall way and into an elevator. It was a quiet night in the hospital so they didn’t run into anything other than the occasional nurse or janitor. Peter hated the way the place smelled. He had never noticed it before.

            “They are taking him into surgery,” the nurse went on quietly, mindful of the patient rooms. “I’m only telling you this because of who you are so you better not get me into trouble. I’ll tell the head nurse in ICU you are his cousin.”

            “Thank you.”

            She showed him a waiting room behind a closed door. It was empty with a TV playing local news. “They’ll call from that telephone when he is out of surgery and buzz you into the ICU. If you need anything I’ll be in the ER until six.”

            He sighed in relief as she left, touched by her kindness. He took in more of the waiting room and walked over to the leather loveseat they had placed in there. Setting his coffee down on the table, he laid down on the couch to settle into a long wait. He knew he needed to call Tony or Steve but he couldn’t make himself. Peter felt the ride of his adrenalin crashing and exhaustion creeping in. The clock on the wall told him it was close to midnight. He took out his phone and saw several missed calls, texts, and a voicemail. It was Steve. He sounded worried as he asked Peter to let them know he was okay. He tapped out a quick message, saying, _I’m okay. I’ll be back in a few hours._

            Of course that instantly had Tony calling but Peter hit ignore because no way could he deal with talking to anyone. He might have been making a situation worse but he just felt so raw. He wanted to be left alone. Never had he ever considered the possibility that Flash was being abused by his father and the truly baffling part was that he didn’t want to tell anyone. Peter supposed it made sense though. He had seen a lot of it before but always in strangers. He never thought it would be one of his friends.

            An hour later, the phone ringing jerked him out of his light doze. He scrambled to answer it. “Hello?”

            “Hi, are you Mr. Thompson’s cousin?”

            “Uh, yeah, Peter.”

            “Mr. Thompson is in his room now if you’d like to come back.”

            “Yes, please!”

            “Okay. I’m opening the door for you.”

            The phone clicked as she hung up and Peter hurried out into the hall and saw the double doors at the end open automatically. He stepped through, looking around hesitantly until another nurse approached him.

            “Good evening. He is in room 10.”

            “Thank you.” He hurried around the nurses desk, following the hall until he reached the room number. Pausing, he took a deep breath before heading inside. His chest clenched at the sight of Flash on the hospital bed, hooked to wires and tubes. It looked like the swelling in his face had gone down some but it was still blue and purple around the eyes and down the cheeks. His breathing was smoother and it seemed like he was actually resting. There was a light knock on the door and a doctor stepped in.

            “Hi, you are Peter?” She asked softly.

            “Yeah, you are his doc?” Peter responded just as quietly.

            “Yes, I performed the operation. Do you know his parents or…”

            Peter hesitated. He wasn’t sure what to say. “I…his dad is out of town. I tried calling but no answer.”

            Her brows furrowed in a pinched, worried look. “Perhaps you could give me his father’s number and I’ll keep trying? He’s underage.”

            Peter nodded, sniffing lightly. “Yeah, sure.” Of course he didn’t know his father’s number so he simply rattled off the teen’s cell. “Is he going to be alright?”

            “I am positive. He’ll make a full recovery. He suffered from a collapsed lung and a few broken ribs but that was the worst of it. I’ll keep him here for a few days and see how he is doing.”

            “Thank you.”

            “Of course. You can stay here until he wakes but starting tomorrow you’ll need to start adhering to visiting hours.”

            “I will.”

            She left and Peter sat down in the chair at the foot of the bed, settling on a long wait. It was almost three in the morning when Flash stirred, groggily lifting his head. “Wha—?”

            Peter was on his feet in an instant, going to his friends side. “Hey, Flash. You are in the hospital.”

            “God, I feel like shit.”

            He couldn’t help but smile at that. “Don’t worry. You’ll feel it even more when they take you off the pain meds.”

            “Fuck,” Flash groaned, letting his head fall back. “Where is my dad?”

            “I don’t know. I haven’t been back to the house since I brought you here.”

            “They know huh?”

            “No. I don’t know. I didn’t say anything like you asked.”

            “Damn, Peter. I didn’t want you to find out…Not like this.” Flash began blinking rapidly and he realized that the other was blinking back tears. “I don’t know what to do.”

            “Hey.” Peter ground out firmly. “Nothing is going to happen to you. Do you hear me? I’m not going to let you get scooped up and placed in home or whatever. I’ll keep you safe. We’ll figure something out.”

            The jock gave him a broken smile. “Always trying to be the hero, huh?”

            “I’m not a hero but I’d be damned if I’m going to let my friend suffer.”

            “I trust you.” Their eyes met and Peter knew he had a friend for life.

            “I need to tell them you are awake.”

            “Sure. Go ahead…and go home, Parker. You look like hell.”

            “You should try looking in the mirror.” Peter leaned in and gave the other teen a gentle hug, promising he would be back in the morning. He went and told the nurses that Flash was awake then once he got them to confirm that they would call if anything happened to him did he make the long walk home. He felt weary as he thought back over the night. He never suspected that Flash was being abused by his father. It made a lot of sense though. His bullying attitude at school sometimes border lined on cruel, and anger like that in a young man just didn’t come from nowhere. Peter would know.

            Peter made a spontaneous decision before heading back to the tower. He changed back into his Spider-Man suit and headed back to Flash’s neighborhood. Peter licked his lips as he peered at the unassuming house. Lights were on downstairs and everything seemed quiet. He couldn’t help but think about Flash and the kind of danger he was in while he continued to stay in this house. Peter just hoped he wasn’t about to make a bad situation worse but at the same time he wouldn’t be able to live with himself if he let something happen to his friend. Not again.

            So he took a deep breath and crossed the road. He slipped in through Flash’s bedroom window. Finding his father dozing in front of the TV with several beer cans on the table next to him caused anger to lick up his belly like fire. Obviously he had managed to work his way out the webbing and just drink himself into a stupor. Not the least bit worried about his son. Peter bit the inside of his cheek to control his temper before approaching the man. He snatched him by the front of his filthy shirt and threw him up against the wall. The older man shouted in surprise before Peter webbed his mouth shut. He hit the man, pulling the punches despite how badly he didn’t want to.

            Pressing his forearm against the man’s throat, Peter hissed, “stop struggling and listen to me.”

            Flash’s father froze at the tone in Peter’s voice. “I am warning you. I am watching you. If you hurt your son again…If you hit him, yell at him, even call him a name…I will know. I will be back and you will not be walking away the next time we meet. Do you understand?”

            The man nodded his head frantically. Peter was tempted to just beat the shit out of the man, take out all of his frustrations and anger out on the older Thompson but a voice in the back of his head told him that wasn’t who he was. He pushed away from the man and fled house, hoping that his words stuck. Only time would tell but hopefully Flash would be more honest about things going on with his dad.

           

            Walking into the penthouse brought on a whole new wave of emotions. He was wound up tight with anger and grief and exhaustion. He felt like he break apart at any second. It didn’t help that he would have to deal with the others before he could just shut himself away. Steve, Tony, Sam and Bucky were gathered in the front area. Tony pacing across the living room. The second Peter was off the elevator, Tony was on him.

            “Where the hell have you been? Do you know what time it is?” Tony barked and Peter would have rolled his eyes if he wasn’t so tired.

            “I know exactly what time it is and I’m going to bed.” He made to move pass the older man but a strong grip came around his wrist, stopping him, and Peter felt himself snap.

            He shoved Tony, hard enough to cause him to stumble back from the force of it. “Don’t touch me! Not tonight, Tony. Please. Lets not do this tonight.” He felt the pressure build up in his eyes, telling him that he was going to cry at any second.. His chest suddenly felt tight and his breathing became ragged. He backed away on shaky legs. “ _Please_.”

            Tony looked too stunned for words and Steve took a hesitant step forward. “Peter, are you okay?”

            Peter scrubbed angrily at his eyes, not wanting to start crying in front of the adults. He shook his head frantically, silently begging them to let it go. “No, I just want to go to bed.”

            Steve, eyes wide, held up his hands in a placating gesture. “Okay. You can go to bed. We can talk about this after you’ve had some sleep.”

            He nodded, because that sounded amazing right now. He ran to his room then, going straight to his closet and pulling down the shoe box he had shoved high up on the self. He ripped the lid off and pulled out a picture of Gwen. Some part of him told him it was irrational but Peter didn’t like crying over just anything. Laying on his bed, Peter let the tears fall in earnest because Gwen was worth crying over. As soon as his eyes landed on her smiling face he felt the knot in his chest loosen. He didn’t need to hide from her. Even when he wore the mask, he was still just Peter. He didn’t want to admit that Flash had some how wormed his way into Peter’s heart and that terrified him. He didn’t want to think about the dangers of having him as a friend meant. So he didn’t want to cry over Flash and the sight of blood and bruises on his face, and cement a bond that was growing there. Gwen on the other hand… she was something he could fall apart over.

           

           

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm afraid I do not have much to say as I am deeply sadden by the recent events in Orlando. 
> 
> Thank you and I hope you enjoy. 
> 
> Much love to everyone <3
> 
> Updates on Sunday!


	6. Pep Talks

Waking up was not a fun process for Peter. His face felt sore and his eyes hurt as he blearily looked at his clock. It was just after ten on Friday. He sprang to his feet in a panic and then the events of last night came flooding to the forefront of his mind. He grimaced at the embarrassing display he had put on when he got home but apparently it had terrified the adults enough to leave him alone. He noticed he had been covered with a blanket and Gwen’s picture placed on the night stand next to the bed. Shaking his head, he put the picture back in the box and returned it to the closet before crossing the hall to take a shower. He wanted to stall to keep from having the dreaded talk he knew that was looming in his immediate future but he also wanted to go check on Flash. The sooner he got the first out of the way the sooner he can go do the latter.

            After a quick shower and pulling on some of his more comfortable day clothes, he headed to the living room. He found the others that had been gathered last night lounging in the living room, talking amongst themselves. They fell silent as he appeared. Tony and Steve stood as he walked closer.

            “We can go,” Steve said, without any pressure either way.

            Peter shrugged, bringing his thumb up to his mouth to bite his nail. “No, you are fine. All of you.” He looked more pointedly at Tony. “I’m sorry about last night.”

            Tony stepped around the couch. “What happened last night, Peter? You really…You really frightened us.”

            “Um, you know my friend Flash?” Peter asked, rubbing at the back of his neck, going for honesty. Or at least part honesty.

            “Yes.”

            “He…I found out last night he got hurt…I got a call saying that he was at the hospital. When I got there, they were wheeling him into surgery and I stayed with him until he woke and…I don’t know.” He cleared his throat, frustrated at the way his voice wobbled.

            “Why didn’t you just call and tell me that, Peter?” Tony asked and Peter couldn’t blame him. It was a really logical question.

            “I don’t know. I just wasn’t thinking. I was scared I was about to loose him and if I tried actually saying that to anyone…I didn’t want to just fall apart in the hospital. Tony, I —”

            “Hey, now.” Tony surprised him by pulling him roughly into a hug. Like a full frontal real hug. “It’s okay. I understand. I’m just glad you are okay.”

            Peter caved, relaxing into the embrace, and buried his face into Tony’s shoulder. He realized it had been since Aunt May left that he had had a real hug. Tony continued talking. “I want you to trust us, Peter. I want you to open up and let me help you. I know there is more to you than what you let on. I…I made a promise to your father a long time ago that I would always make sure you were safe and…I need to know you are safe.”

            Peter nodded, pulling back. “Yeah, I am.”

            Tony gave him a shadow of a smile. “Somehow I don’t believe you.”

            “You could just track my phone.”

            “And what? Shatter your trust? Though I will admit I almost gave in last night.”

            Peter swallowed hard. The conversation was straying into dangerous territory. “Uh, I promised Flash I would be back today.”

            “Go be with your friend. Just make sure you come home to eat and shower.”

            “I promise.”

            “We’ll talk more later.”

            “Sure.”

 

            Peter walked down the hall of the ICU wing. There were more people in the waiting room today and fortunately no one tried talking to him. When they could go back, Peter hurried to Flash’s room. He knocked and opened it when he heard his friend call out. He looked better, more alert than he had hours before. He was watching some football game on TV. Flash gave Peter a pinched look.

            “I can’t stand this.”

            Peter laughed lightly. “You’ll be back on your feet in no time. I’m sure the nurses can’t stand you.”

            “Screw you.” Flash said but it held no venom.

            He sat down on the edge of his bed. “How are you feeling?”

            “Better, I guess. I’m ready to get out of here.”

            “Is there anything you want me to pick up for you to make the stay a little more bearable?”

            Flash bit his lip and finally nodded. “Yeah, might as well. Got something to jot this down on?”

            Peter pulled out his phone and opened the note app. “You got a list?”

            “I have needs and I expect them to be met.”

            He snorted and typed out the things that the other teen named off. When he was done, he put the phone away. “So, any news on what’s going to happen next?”           

            “The doc is keeping me here a few days, saying I’m at a higher risk because of my age. Cops came by earlier, asked questions, took my statement and told me my case was being passed over to CPS.”

            “Do they know?”

            “Don’t think so. I’m keeping it that way.”

            “What are you planning?” Peter asked because he could see the look on Flash’s face.

            “I’m planning on filing for emancipation from my father. I have enough money saved up that I can rent someplace…”

            “You can come stay with me,” Peter said automatically without thinking. “My…uh, I have friend that will keep the CPS off your back until the emancipation goes through.”

            “Thanks, Pete… But I’ll be good.”

            Peter frowned worriedly. “Really, though. You are more than welcomed to come stay with me.”

            Flash shrugged and immediately winced. “It will be until I finish high school anyway.”

            Peter nodded. “Just let me know what you decide to do and I’ll help you anyway I can.”

            They lapsed into silence for a few moment until Flash spoke up again. “So, uh, the cops told me something pretty interesting.”

            “Yeah?” Peter asked, looking up into Flash’s determined blue eyes.

            “Yeah, they said that Spider-Man found me and brought me in.”

            “Oh? That’s pretty awesome.” Peter feigned a surprised look.

            “You told me that it was you that brought me in.”

            Peter knew his brows shot up before he broke out into a nervous grin. “What? No, you must have misheard me.”

            “I know what I heard, Peter. Are you Spider-Man?”

            “No! That’s crazy.”

            “Is it?” Flash pressed, his brows drawing together. “It would explain your odd hours. The bruises and other injuries. The secrets. Is it crazy for me to assume that? You are Spider-Man.”

            Peter stood, turning away from the other teen. His mind scrambled for a plausible answer but he was drawing a blank. Did he really want to keep hiding this from Flash? He paused by the foot of his bed, running a hand through his hair, and looked up at him. “You are right. I’m Spider-Man.”

            He expected anger or something akin to it but not the grin that broke out over the bruised face. “Whoa! Really?”

            “Well, yeah.”

            “Damn that explains why you got weirder around tenth grade…you’ve been doing this since we were fifteen.”

            “Yeah.”

            Flash’s grin got even bigger. “Dude, you have got to tell me all about it. Where did you get your powers? Your webs? And, holy shit, what is it like working with the Avengers?”

            Peter flushed in pleasant surprise and something warm swelled in his heart. He couldn’t help but grin. “Okay. Okay.” He sat back down on the edge of the bed, a little closer this time. “I guess I’ll start at the beginning.”

 

            “Wow,” Flash breathed as Peter wrapped up his story. “That’s insane.”

            “Yeah, you’re telling me.”

            Flash was quiet for a moment, just long enough to make Peter start to worry. He then reached out and placed a hand on Peter’s shoulder. “I’m glad it was you, Parker. If anyone was right for these powers it was you.”

            He flushed. “It was just some freak accident.”

            “No way, man. You were chosen for this. You gotta believe that.”

            Peter shrugged but he wasn’t about to argue with Flash. He opened his mouth to say something else but then there was knock on the door and a nurse poked his head in.

            “Hey, it’s time for visitors to go.”

            “Okay.” When the nurse was gone, Peter stood and looked at Flash. “Right now you are the only one who knows my secret.”

            “And it’ll stay that way unless you tell somebody.”

            “Thanks, Flash.”

            “I should be saying thanks. Now get out of here.”

            “I’ll see you later,” Peter promised.

           

            He decided to head back to the tower, a lot of the tension he had been feeling had eased. Peter just wanted the best to happen for Flash. He just hoped that no matter what Flash would get out of that house. He sighed heavily as he silently rode the elevator up. Fortunately no one was around as he headed to his room for a power nap. The adults around here had this uncanny ability to appear out of nowhere and want to talk. Peter wasn’t a big fan.

            After his sleep, he headed out again to visit Flash. They talked lightly about him being Spider-Man and other things of that nature until it was time for him to leave again. He didn’t go home. Instead he went to his father’s lab to work on some repairs until he went on patrol. He checked his spare phone and found that Wade had texted him at some point through the day.

_{Hey, Spidey!}_

_{I hope everything is okay. You left in a hurry last night.}_

            Peter was stunned by the show of concern but found himself typing out a reply immediately.

_[Everything is fine. I just had an emergency I had to go deal with]_

_[Thanks for asking]_

            The reply came almost instantly.

_{Sure thing ;)}_

_{Are we still patrolling tonight???}_

_[Of course. See you later.]_

            Peter shook his head and went back to producing his web fibers. He vaguely considered asking Wade to bring food but the merc had brought meals along for the last several patrols. He sent him a text saying that he’d pick up something this time and asked what he wanted. If a text could be enthusiastic it had to be Wade’s when he replied, asking for Mexican. Peter chuckled to himself before getting up and pulling on his suit. He swung by Wade’s favorite Mexican place and picked up a very large order of chimichangas, tacos, and churros. The downside to being a superhero was the large amounts of food he had to consume to keep his body fueled properly. It really put a dent in his bank account.

            Deadpool was waiting at their usual place who broke out into an obvious grin at the sight of Peter with food. “A boy after my own heart,” the merc swooned.

            Peter laughed tossing one of the bags to the other man. “Here. Extra hot sauce. Just the way you like it.”

            “You do pay attention!”

            They sat down on the edge of the building with a little radio that picked up police calls Peter had rigged up so they both could listen for crimes. They ate, listening to the exchanges going back and forth. It was a quiet afternoon and Peter was glad for it.

            “So,” Deadpool began, only capable of being silent for so long, “Gonna tell me what the emergency was?”

            Peter sniffed at the questionable taco before taking a big bite, shrugging. “My friend sent me a text to call for help. He was beaten by his father.”

            Deadpool hummed. “Tough luck.”

            “Yeah, I never knew he was being treated so badly. All the signs were there. I should’ve seen—”

            “Hey,” Deadpool interrupted. “Look, I hate being the voice of reason because that means something is horribly wrong but you can’t save everyone, Spidey. That’s unrealistic and you shouldn’t beat yourself up about it. You did all you could do and you gotta accept that.”

            Peter gaped at the merc before snorting, thinking of Flash’s own pep talk. “Thanks, Deadpool.”

            Wade cackled and the moment was gone. “That’s all the wisdom you are getting out of me today. I’m done!”

            He shook his head and stilled to listen to the woman report a bank truck being stolen. He set the rest of his food down and stood. “Ready to get to work?”

            “Let’s go get them baddies!”

 

            The car chase had been intense to say the least. Getting hit by a couple ton truck had the tendency to leave one with that feeling. They were working on securing the thieves when one had slipped under their radar, gotten into the driver seat and threw the armored bank truck into reverse—right where Peter happened to be standing. He only had a second warning thanks to his spidey-senses but the vehicle was going way too fast for him to properly dodge and ended up being thrown several yards, over car pile ups and observing pedestrians. He groaned as he landed in the middle of the road, his back and side lighting up in pain. Peter wasn’t sure how long he was there for, trying to catch his breath until Deadpool was pushing through the gathering civilians to kneel next to him.

            “Spidey, how bad is it?”

            “I dunno,” he gritted out as he tried to sit up. His back felt like it was on fire. Wade helped him sit up and peered at his back and whistled low. “You have a really bad case of road burn, Spidey.”

            “Shit.” He tried getting to his feet but he stumbled and the next thing he knew, Wade had thrown him over his shoulder and took off running.

            “Where is your Spider Cave?” He asked as he parkoured over backed up traffic. People leaned out of their cars, yelling obscenities at Wade for damaging their vehicles.

            “I don’t have a Spider Cave,” Peter bit out breathlessly, gripping the back of Wade’s suit to help hold him steady. Actually, he did kind of have a Spider Cave but no way was he telling Wade that. The merc would drive him crazy to see it.

            “My place it is then. On ward!”

            Peter didn’t argue. He just hoped it wasn’t that far because Wade’s shoulder digging into stomach was incredibly unpleasant in addition to the damage done to his back. “What happened, Wade? I just remember flying and then I was on the ground.”

            “Oh, you skidded three car lengths before coming to a stop. It was painful to watch.”

            Peter groaned as Wade made a sharp turn. No doubt he’ll be able to see it on YouTube later. Thankfully Wade finally had entered a run down apartment building and was carrying him several flights of stairs.

            “Welcome to my home sweet home!” Wade announced as he set Peter down on an old leather couch. He took in the small living room and kitchen area. He was surprised that the place was actually relatively clean save for a few beer cans and taco wrappers on the coffee table. There was an impressive TV and video game consol set up. His eyes narrowed suspiciously at the box in the far corner.

            “What is that?” Peter asked as Wade reemerged with a first aid kit and a bowl of water in hand.

            “That’s a bomb.”

            “And what is it doing in your living room?” Peter completely denied that his voice cracked a little.

            “Don’t worry. It won’t go off or anything.”

            “Right.”

            “Come on. Strip for me so I can tend to your delicate wounds.”

            Peter rolled his eyes but did as he was asked. He moved slowly, the wounds on his back pulling unpleasantly as he removed the garment, leaving his mask on. He turned his back to Wade, eyeing the weapons propped in the corner curiously. He hissed as Wade began cleaning his back with surprisingly gentle hands. The merc began rambling and it took Peter a moment to realize that the older man was trying to distract him as he poured disinfectant over the scrapes. Soon Wade was applying some kind of cream but left the wounds unbandaged.

            “I think we should let it breath and when you leave I’ll wrap them so they don’t get irritated. Luckily no stitches were needed.”

            “Thanks, Wade.” Peter shifted so he could see the other better.

            “You can hang out here if you want and I can order pizza.”

            “Sure,” Peter smiled in relief. He didn’t want to head directly back to the tower. He wanted to give it a few hours to heal before trying to move anywhere. He still had another two hours before final visitation to see Flash so he might as well use it.

            They ended up playing Call of Duty over sodas and two large meaty pizzas. Peter whooped every time he managed to beat Wade, taunting the merc. “You are suppose to be the expert with firearms, Wade.”

            “Yuck it up, you little shit.” Deadpool growled as they started another round, but Peter could tell that he was smiling behind the mask.

            Eventually he stood and thanked Wade again after he had wrapped his back in gauze. “I had fun. We should do this again sometime.”

            “Do you mean that?” Wade asked very quickly.

            “Uh, yeah. I wouldn’t have said it if I didn’t.”

            A beat of silence passed as Peter looked at Wade in curiosity until the merc spoke again. “I’d like that too…Yeah! We should totally have a sleep over. We can go roll and egg the Avenger building.”

            Peter laughed at that, imagining the looks on Tony and Steve’s faces. “Sounds like fun.”

            He pulled on his shredded suit and climbed out through the window. He quickly changed into his street clothes and headed to the hospital. He was startled when one of the head nurses in the ICU stopped him with a worried frown. “Are you alright, dear?”

            “Uh yeah…?”

            Peter pushed pass her and into Flash’s room, his stomach twisting nervously. His friend gave him one of those annoyed looks and nodded towards the TV. It was him on the news, landing spectacularly on the pavement and rolling the rest of the way before proceeding in not moving at all.

            “I was dazed…?” He offered shyly.

            “I think the nursing staff knows about you because as soon as it aired a few of them came in asking if I knew if you were okay.”

            Peter groaned and sat carefully on the edge of Flash’s bed. “Nurses, man, what can you do? I knew that nurse down in ER knew something. Apparently she shared the news.”

            “Looks like it.” Flash’s face took on a worried look. “How bad is it?”

            “I’ve had worse,” Peter replied patiently. “I had a friend doctor me up.”

            “That crazy guy in the mask? Deadpool?”

            “That’s him.”

            “What is with your team up? That guy isn’t exactly playing on your side of the law is he? It’s not making you look good in the news.”

            “We are working a case together,” Peter admitted. “There is this guy he wants to tear the city apart. Drugs, weapons, human trafficking. The works. Just so they can give some politician the edge when election comes.”

            “Are you serious? That’s sick.”

            “I know. Deadpool was hired to assassinate this guy but I’m not letting him. We are working together to dismantle the whole operation.”

            “Whoa. That’s some deep shit.”

            Peter nodded. “All in a night’s work.”

            “Does your aunt know?”

            “No way. She can’t know.”

            “Just wondering but, I mean, she’s got to be worried about you. You are a horrible liar.”

            Peter rolled his eyes. “Whatever. How are you doing?”

            “Subject change. Smooth. I’m doing okay. Still the same plans as of this morning. They still haven’t managed to get in touch with my father…”

            “That’s good…right?”

            Flash grunted, “I guess… I don’t exactly want to see him now.”           

            “I’m sorry. The offer still stands.”

            “I know. I’ll be eighteen in a few months. I can deal with it until then.”

            Peter smiled. “I’m here for you.”

            Flash smirked. “I’m pretty lucky. How many get to say that Spider-Man’s got their back?”

 

            When he finally did return to the tower, his entire torso was aching and throbbing but he didn’t feel like going and laying down in his room. None of the Avengers were around as he wondered into the kitchen. He began moving around the space, searching for ingredients. Tony kept everything, especially the kitchen fully stocked. Peter had even stumbled across some really exotic foods that made him stare, baffled, before returning it carefully to the shelf.

            He spent the next two hours baking a huge batch of his Aunt May’s Coconut Oatmeal cookies. He had a Stark tablet playing Supernatural while he worked. Once he had the cookies baking in the oven, he began mixing up Oreo truffles while he waited. Before he knew it, he had a red velvet poke cake in the works as it was drawing towards midnight. Maybe he was avoiding sleep at this point but while he kept busy he could pretend that his body didn’t hurt and keep his mind from seeing Flash’s bruised face and Gwen’s lifeless one.

            He heard the elevator ding and saw Steve, Bucky and Tony plus Sam and Rhodey step into the penthouse, looking tired and weary. Their faces brightened with curiosity at the sight of Peter, cover in flour, chocolate, and red dye. He grinned sheepishly and waved at them.

            “Hey, guys. I, uh, hope you don’t mind, Tony. I raided the pantry.”

            Rhodey plucked one of the cookies from the rack they were cooling on and took a bite. “Oh, Tony can get over it. Especially if make more of these.” He picked up three more, shoving a whole one in his mouth.

            Steve smiled and came to stand next to Peter as he was icing the cooled cake. “I didn’t know you liked to bake.”

            Peter shrugged, trying to get the homemade icing as even as possible before deciding to go for ‘artsy’ and created a swirly design with the edge of his knife. “It’s relaxing.”

            Steve ruffled his hair before reaching for an Oreo truffle. Sam and Tony were munching on cookies, and Bucky had grabbed plates and forks. Peter got the message and cut everyone a slice of the red velvet, including himself.

            “This is behavior I approve of,” Tony mumbled around a big bite.

            Peter rolled his eyes as he looked at Rhodey. “It’s good to see you again. I thought you were in Washington.”

            The lieutenant colonel swallowed and nodded. “I was. We had to have an emergency meeting with the SHIELD base here.”

            “Oh?” Peter couldn’t hide his genuine curiosity. “What’s going on?”

            His heart skipped and he got this sense of how he shouldn’t have asked from the looks they traded. Steve cleared his throat.

            “It’s nothing that you need to worry about.”

            “Okay…but I live with you guys. I mean if you disappear for days don’t you think I have the right to now first hand than whatever I see on the news?”

            “You are right but…”

            Tony interrupted. “And we agreed that you, Peter, would not be involved with Avenger business to keep you safe.”

            Peter snorted. “Again. I live with you.”

            Sam clapped him on the shoulder. “No, I think we should let him in on what’s going on. Maybe he can give us an objective opinion.”

            “Sam…” Tony began warningly.

            “I agree,” Steve interjected, turning to Peter. “The government wants to put a leash on us and all the lone heroes. Everyone needs to be registered.”

            Peter blinked, startled. Before he could respond Tony added, “It is to increase international security. Act as damage control. Keep us from doing anything crazy.”

            “What about those protecting their identities?”

            “They will need to come clean.”

            He just gaped, his mouth opening and closing as he tried to formulate some kind of logical reaction. He felt terror at the prospect of becoming even more of a fugitive than he already was but having the government know who he was made his stomach twist even more.

            “That’s stupid,” he finally blurted. Tony looked as if he had been slapped and Peter rushed to explain. “Wait, think of it like this. I mean you are going to trust the government? If you give them that kind of power over you wouldn’t it set you up to be used as a weapon for them? Or what if it stops you from interfering in catastrophic situations?

            “I mean this is just the world we live in now. We have tech that our parents could only dream of and it’s progressing every day. Who’s to say something won’t happen tomorrow to New York but because you signed this thing you can’t do anything about it and millions die as a result. You could have done something but you didn’t. How could you live with yourself then?”

            Silence settled over the kitchen and Peter realized his hands were shaking. He went on quietly. “I mean, what would have happened with that alien invasion if not for you guys? Who would have stopped it? Who could have? You have a responsibility to the people. Not the government.”

            He ducked his head, backing up until he was pressed to the counter. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have…”

            “No,” Tony said, setting his plate down. “It’s okay. You have a point… But who will keep us in check?”

            Peter looked at his godfather, taking in the tired lines around his face. He shrugged, recalling the talks he had with both Flash and Wade today. “It falls to you. You do the best you can do and when bad stuff happens —because it’s going to—you accept that and keep fighting. You can’t save everyone, Tony.”

            Tony scoffed, shaking his head. “You remind me so much of your father.”

            He shrugged and blushed, looking away. “So I’ve been told.”

            Steve leaned against the counter next to Bucky who had been a silent by stander all this time. Peter couldn’t tell what the Winter Soldier was thinking behind those dark eyes. Steve hummed in thought. “Who was your father, Peter? Do you remember?”

            He realized that despite the time he has spent in the tower so far that they didn’t know anything personal about him. Peter had thrown up those walls the second they appeared at his aunt’s house and he had kept them firmly in place. Now he could feel them crumbling around him. He just figured that it was late and he was in pain from his earlier fight and that he was still raw from the night before.

            “Richard Parker. He was a scientist at Oscorp. He specialized in cross-species genetics.”

            “Cross-species genetics?”

            Peter nodded. “Yeah, they were researching ways that took characteristics of animals and apply them to humans. It had the potential of curing cancer, Alzheimer’s, and so much more.”

            “Had?” Steve asked, a frown on his face.

            He shrugged, moving to dispose of his dishes in the sink. “Nothing ever came of it. My parents died in a plane crash when I was a kid.”

            “I’m sorry.”

            “It was a long time ago.”

            Bucky wordlessly pushed from where he had propped himself and rummaged through the cabinets. Peter spotted the way Steve’s mouth twitched with a hint of a smile. “What are you doing, Buck?”

            The dark haired super-soldier pulled out some bottle of what looked like whisky, poured some in a glass and handed it to Peter. “Drink.”

            The coronary that Captain America nearly had caused Peter to laugh as he ranted at his partner. “Bucky! Have you lost your mind? He can’t drink. Peter, is too young.” He wasn’t even mad when Steve snatched the glass out of his hand and dumped it in the sink.

            “Why not? It’s obvious the kid needs a drink.”

            “What was acceptable in the 1940’s and for those in the army isn’t acceptable today!”

            “You think I don’t know that?”

            Peter was giggling still as Sam and Tony stuck their two-bits in. Sam added, “Come on, Steve. It’s not that bad. He’s seventeen. I bet he’s already experimented with alcohol.”

            “He better not have,” Tony ground out and Peter threw up his hands.

            “Have you?” Sam pressed, curious. Rhodey just shook his head off to the side, clearly not getting involved.

            Peter shook his head frantically. “Nope. Nada. Nein. Alcohol? I don’t even know what that is.”

            The truth is that he has. It had been with Gwen one night when her parents weren’t home. That night they discovered he couldn’t get drunk very easily. It had taken some really strong stuff to even make him feel a little buzzed. No way was he telling that to a room of adults who were split in their opinions about him drinking. The change in topic had his head spinning. He began edging towards the exit.

            “Wait.” Tony’s expression darkened in a way that Peter would have found comical. “You haven’t, right?”

            “Oh, look at the time. I really need to go to bed. You’ll clean the mess? Kay? Cool. Good night, guys!” He darted out of the kitchen as he heard Steve and Tony yell while the others laugh after him.

 

 

            Peter didn’t know what to expect when Tony called him to come to the main living area of the penthouse the next day when he had just returned from visiting Flash. He sunk even further into confusion when he saw a computer set up on the kitchen table and the video chat was open, revealing his aunt’s face on the screen. Usually they just face timed over their phones when they wanted to see each other. Peter missed his aunt far too much to actually stay angry with her. Besides, now he saw why she did it. She loved him so much that she was willing to exhaust any means to help him. Now he was doing better about managing his time and being more careful whenever he was in his suit. He hadn’t even realized how reckless he had become until he came to live with Tony and he had to be more careful.

            “What’s going on?” He asked, walking closer.

            Tony motioned to the chair next to his in front of the computer. “Sit. We need to talk.”

            No teenager, regardless of their situation, liked to hear those words coming from adults. Peter was no different. Dozens of concerns came to mind in a second and each one more worrying than the last. Peter hesitated as his stomach gave a not so pleasant flop before claiming the seat to Tony’s left. He smiled weakly at his aunt on the computer.

            “Hey, Aunt May. I was going to call you later.”

            “I know, honey. How was school?”

            “It was good… What’s this about?”

            She looked tired and weary as she replied. “Tony suggested that it would be best if we had this discussion together.”

            Peter glanced warily at the man. “What discussion? Is something wrong?”

            “No, honey. Well, not really. My sister isn’t doing well and… I might not be able to come home until after the New Year.”

            He frowned at that. “Aunt May, you take all the time you need. I’ll be fine.”

            Peter recognized the look of guilt settle over her face and it made his heart ache. “We have never been apart this long…”

            His breath hitched and flashed another small smile. “Don’t remind me. You stay with Aunt Claire and take care of her. She needs you. I can always come see you.”

            “But you need me too.”

            “You’re right but I’ll be okay. I’m even doing better. My grades are going up and I’m working with Tony and I’m making friends.”

            She gave a watery laugh. “I know. I’m so proud of you, Peter. I always have been. We decided that maybe even after I return that you continue to stay with Mr. Stark.”

            “What?” Peter sat up a little straighter, startled.

            “At least until you graduate. Mr. Stark and Mr. Rogers have been such a wonderful influence. I do not want to pull you from there too soon. I think it will be good for you stay the rest of the school year.”

            Peter’s stomach clenched uncomfortably. Every instinct he had made him want to fight this. To beg her to let him return home. It hit him hard but he swallowed back the argument on his tongue. “Okay. Sure. That’s fine.”

            “Really?” He didn’t miss the way her voice sounded lighter and the way the tension left her shoulders.

            He could put on a brave face for her. “Yeah, really.”

            “You know,” Tony injected suddenly, “I love having Peter here. He’s been a wonderful addition to the Tower.”

            Peter glanced at the man before nodding at his aunt. “You do what you need to, Aunt May. Try to have some fun too while you are there. You deserve it.”

            Her smile brightened and it made lying to her a little easier, knowing he could alleviate some of her stress. “Thank you. I can’t wait to see you. I might be able to return for Thanksgiving and for Christmas.”

            “I look forward to seeing you then.”

            Shortly after the call ended Tony had a hand rubbing across Peter’s back in a soothing gesture. The older man asked, “are you really okay with this?”

            Peter bit his lip before shaking his head. “No. I miss her. I miss going home.”

            “You…” Tony began, sounding startled, but then his voice mellowed out. “I’m sorry, Peter.”

            He turned to the older man, causing Tony to move his hand to his shoulder instead. “What are you sorry for?”

            “For not realizing you might be homesick. Its been a rough first month, hasn’t it?”

            Peter shrugged. “It’s been alright.”

            Tony gave him a studious look. “Are you feeling okay?”

            “I’m fine.” He answered automatically and Tony gave him a sad smile.

            “Not what I asked. Do you _feel_ okay?”

            “Oh.” Peter blinked in surprise, immediately understanding what Tony was asking. A part of him wanted to tell the truth but he wasn’t ready for whatever that might lead to. So he nodded and smiled, lying because it was the easy thing to do. “Yeah, I feel fine.”

            Tony sighed and stood, ruffling Peter’s hair. “You are an awful liar.”

           

           

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh wow. Okay so I allude a bit to Civil War after all but nothing comes of it but yay for domestic Avengers. Don't worry Spideypool shippers we are getting close to Wade and Peter bonding ;D
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Comments and kudos give me life and motivation. It's awesome. 
> 
> Updates on Sunday!!!
> 
> Hugs <3


	7. Of Angels and Demons

Peter wasn’t sure how to feel about letting Flash return to such a toxic home. Sure he had threatened the other teen’s father not to lay a hand on Flash but he worried that something might still happen and that would be his fault, wouldn’t it? At the same time he didn’t want to shatter the new and still fragile bond he had with Flash. Either way he could loose his new friend. It left him feeling hopeless every time he left the hospital over the next few days. He went through the every day routine but…he just didn’t feel like himself. The only time he did was when he put on the suit. He had purpose when he was Spider-Man. He could save more lives as Spider-Man than he ever could as Peter Parker.

            Deadpool was a welcomed relief. The merc managed to make Peter smile on his patrols and their hunt for Sniegoski. Peter liked listening to the man’s stories even though he’d never admit it. The more he paid attention to Wade the more Peter realized that Deadpool was a much more complex and deep character than he had given him credit for. They spent a lot of time sitting on the edge of a building, eating their favorite foods and talking about almost everything. Peter was starting to consider the dangerous mercenary as a friend at an alarming rate. It made him wonder why though. Was he just that starved for companionship that he would befriend a man that would kill him or anyone he cared for if paid enough money?

            “So, Spidey,” Wade began conversationally. “Have you made any enemies that are all your own yet?”

            Peter grimaced, glad the mask would hide the way his face twisted. “Yeah, a giant mutated lizard.”

            “For real?” Wade gasped, sounding earnestly interested. “That’s cool as shit. Well, maybe not shit—”

            “Don’t you dare finish that thought, Wilson,” Peter growled. “I just got done eating hot dogs. I’d rather not experience it backwards.”

            “Awww, does Spider-Man have a sensitive tummy?”

            Peter turned to the merc. “Do you really wanna find out?”

            Wade paused, studying him. “Is that a threat you’d barf on me?”

            “Yes.”

            “Then no thanks. I’ve experienced some gross things in my life. I’d like to not add ‘spider-barf’ to the list.”

            Peter shook his head, glad for the change in topic, regardless of how gross. What he didn’t tell Deadpool was that he had the newly formed Green Goblin as his enemy. His best friend was out there somewhere but he was determined not to dwell on that night and how he had failed so miserably.

            “Wade, how did you get your abilities and doing what you do?”

            “Origin story for an origin story?”

            “Deal.”

            The man cleared his throat dramatically. “It all began when I had emerged from my mother’s womb, swords in hand and bathed in the blood of my enemies.”

            “I highly doubt that.”

            “How would you know? You weren’t there.”

            “I’m waiting, Wade.” Peter said tauntingly, leaning back to get a better view of the merc.

            “Fine!” Wade was silent and after a moment Peter realized that the merc was hesitating. “I was working as a mercenary and I was diagnosed with terminal cancer. It was everywhere…I entered the Weapon X Program. They were suppose to cure me and give me powers. That’s my origin story.”

            “I feel like there more that you aren’t telling me.” Peter commented quietly, scooting closer to the merc.

            “Don’t ever let anyone tell you that you aren’t sharp.”

            Peter snorted. “It’s you, Wade. I doubt any origin story is going to be that simple.”

            “True. What about you?”

            Peter knew a dismissal when he heard one so he gladly let it go. “Got bit by a radioactive spider created by my father.”

            “No shit!?” Wade began cackling, nearly falling as he doubled over. “You got bit by a fucking spider? That’s so fucking lame!”

            “Hey! It’s cool!”

            “Yeah, keep telling yourself that, bug boy.”

            “You are impossible.”

            “Awe, is that a compliment, Spidey? Are you sure you don’t want to give me your signature spidey kiss?”

            “My signature what?”

            “Signature Spidey kiss!” Deadpool exclaimed as if it was obvious. Which it wasn’t for Peter and clearly it showed as Wade explained. “You know. Where you kiss the girl upside down in the rain. Ringing any bells?”

            “No,” Peter drew out the word to stress his point.

            “Really? Not even once?”

            “How many girls do you think I’ve been through?”

            Deadpool went very still, his head pitched at that angle that told Peter he was listening to the boxes. Then the merc blurted. “How old are you?”

            Peter flushed and floundered at the unexpected question. “I’m, uh, twenty.”

            “Smooth. Try again.”

            He huffed, rolling his eyes. “I don’t see why it’s important.”

            “It just is!”

            “Geez. Fine. I’m seventeen.”

            “Damn it!” Wade roared, launching to his feet. “When is your birthday?”

            “December.” Peter answered automatically, completely baffled. “Why?”

            “We can wait three months.” Wade muttered to himself before turning to Peter. “Sorry, Spidey, but you won’t have access to this fine specimen of sexual gratification until you are of age. I do not rob the cradle.”

            “Excuse me?” Peter all but shrieked. He was most definitely red beneath the mask.

            “Sorry. I may be a low down dirty dog but I do not copulate with minors.”

            “Who says copulate?”

            “I do! Shut up, Spider-brat!”

            Peter busted in laughter, tears forming in his eyes. He smiled up at Wade from where he was still sitting on the ledge. “Thanks. I needed that.”

            Wade grumbled something incoherently, reclaiming his spot next to Peter. “Does anyone know about your identity?

            “Yeah. One person.”

            The man nodded. “You’ve been Spider-Man for two years now…I did my homework. You are just a kid.”

            “Hey,” Peter began warningly. “Don’t start with that mess…”

            Wade threw up his hands. “Easy, tiger. I meant nothing by it. You just have a more direct moral compass than most adults.”

            Peter shrugged awkwardly, not liking where this conversation was going. “Age isn’t a factor in one’s morality. I think it comes down to experience and who you are as a person…Besides. I don’t think I’m that moral of a person.”

            Wade scoffed. “Sitting next to me you are an angel next to a demon…but I respect that.”

            He looked at the merc for a long moment. “How about we call it a night.”

            “It’s still early. Don’t tell me it’s your bed time.”

            “Shut up. Don’t make me regret telling you my age.”

            “Oh, you’ll regret it for sure.”

            Peter rolled his eyes. “I was thinking, if the offer still stands, maybe we could go back to your place and play video games.”

            A grin stretched the sides of Deadpool’s mask. “Now that sounds like fun. I’m so gonna kick your ass at Mario Kart.”

            “Like to see you try.”

 

            Peter was like any other teenager, or well like most, he liked his sleep. Especially sleeping in. However, in recent weeks he had trouble getting a proper nights’ rest. So he found himself waking up at ungodly hours to go running with Sam. It had been awkward approaching the man one night but Sam had merely grinned and agreed enthusiastically. Sometimes Steve and Bucky joined them but for the most part it was just them two. He was just calm without the pressure of an authority figure like he felt around the others. He was brilliantly sarcastic which Peter absolutely loved. There was just something about Sam that made him want to open up and tell the man stuff. He was just that easy to talk to and it sometimes scared Peter.

            “So,” Sam began after they had caught their breath after a vigorous run. “How is your friend doing?”

            “He’s doing better. The doctors are going to release him Friday.”

            “That’s good. You never did say how he got hurt.”

            “Oh, uh,” Peter fumbled, “Some guy mugged him. He doesn’t remember much of what happened.” He twisted the cap on his water on and off, stopping immediately when Sam’s eyes flicked down at the action.

            “I hate that happened. You guys are kids. Your main concern should be getting good grades and who you’ll ask to the prom.”

            Peter laughed lightly. “Stuff happens.”

            Sam hummed in agreement and then smirked. “So are there any nice girls you’ve had your eye on?”

            Peter shook his head, heat that had nothing to do with running crept up his neck. “N-no. There is no one.”

            The older man gave him an amused look. “I get it. Teenage years are awful enough without having to talk about your love life.”

            “Yeah. No.”

            They began walking back towards the tower before Sam spoke again. “Just a heads up. Tony and Steve are thinking about giving you the _talk_.”

            Peter rounded on Sam. “What? You can’t be serious. _Why?_ I don’t need it.”

            “They think you might need a refresher.”

            “No. I don’t.”

            Sam chuckled. “Don’t worry about it. Just let them. It’ll make them feel like they are doing something important.”

            “At my expense.”

            “Think of it as taking one for the team.”

            Peter groaned dramatically, not unlike Wade. “Can they like _not_.”

            The man put his hand on Peter’s shoulder as they reached the tower. “If I gotta listen to Steve whine about whether or not you are eating enough you can at least let them give you the talk. Look on the bright side at least it’s not Bucky doing it.”

            Peter gaped at Sam. “What? Why? Why is that even a thing?”

            “Trust me. I’ve heard what Bucky’s idea of the _talk_ is. Just be grateful it’s going to be Steve or Tony.”

           

            Peter helped Flash home the morning he was released, glaring at his father the entire time. The man seemed unbothered and if anything annoyed by the whole ordeal for having to get off work. Peter kept himself between the older Thompson and the younger, silently daring him to put a foot out of line. Once they were safely tucked in Flash’s bedroom, the teen turned to Peter and fixed him with his own steely stare.

            “What did you do?”

            Peter gave a wide eyed, _I’m innocent_ look. “Do what?”

            “Did you say something to my dad?”

            “No.”

            “Did Spider-Man?”

            “Maybe.”

            Flash grunted, sitting on the edge of his bed and Peter sat down in the rolling desk chair. “Don’t tell me you are going to be like that.”

            “Like what?” Peter asked. “Looking out for my friend? Then yeah. Flash, we haven’t talked about all this and I’m not going to pry and I’m not going to tell anyone even though every instinct is telling me to…but I’m going to do what I can to keep you safe. If that means giving him a very serious talking to then so be it.”

            “Those bruises he’s sporting looks pretty serious.”

            “Not my fault he ran into my fist a couple times. Completely his fault. I had nothing to do with that. I was an innocent bystander.”

            Flash gave a hearty laugh before coughing and wincing in pain. “Don’t make me laugh, you idiot.”

            Peter smiled, not bothered at all by the name calling. They settled quickly after that, working on getting Flash caught up on his missed work. They had kept up with it over the past week but Flash had tests to make up and it was important to Peter that his friend did well. They were half way through learning the Presidents in order when his spare phone rang. He answered it when he saw it was Wade.

            “Hello?”

            “I got a tip on our friend. Got time to meet me?”

            “Yeah.”

            Deadpool rattled off the address, adding, “It’s a safe house. Lets see what we can dip up.”

            “Sure. I’ll be there soon.”

            He turned to Flash to see the expectant look on his face. “I have to go.”

            “Spider-Man business?”

            “Uh, yeah.”

            Flash shook his head. “I still can’t believe it. Be careful though.”

            Peter smiled. “I’ll try.”

           

            The safe house looked like any other old apartment building. It appeared deserted but Peter was positive that it wasn’t. Deadpool nudged him.

            “What are we waiting for?”

            “Something doesn’t feel right,” Peter responded honestly. “We just work our way through the building and see what we find?” Under normal circumstances he’d rather stake out the place out and watch the comings and goings but he didn’t have that kind of time and he didn’t quite trust Wade to not to do anything drastic if the fancy struck him when Peter left him alone to watch the building.

            “Lets do it!” Deadpool threw himself over the ledge, scaling down the side of the building with practiced ease. Peter followed silently, not wanting to let Wade get too far ahead. Peter waited, holding his breath as Wade opened the door around the back. It was dark inside and quiet. That is until they heard a noise from several floors up. Wade glanced at him, pointing to the roof and then back out the door before pointing up again. Peter nodded to show he understood and slipped back out the door and climbed the side of the building, listening for any sign of life. Most of the windows were boarded or covered to some degree. He paused at the sound of muffled voices on the fourth floor. He sent a quick text to Wade, thinking that he needed to make themselves some communicators before the next outing.

            He peered between the blinds, seeing three individuals sitting at a small table playing cards. Only one had weapons but there was something lethal about the unarmed woman and man. None of them looked to be Sniegoski but Peter was sure that they worked for him. Peter tensed, ready to spring, as he waited for Wade. Sure enough he didn’t have to wait long. Deadpool busted through the door, yelling. Peter opened the window and climbed inside. Wade had already dispatched the armed man but the other two just stood there, seeming unbothered by their appearance. Peter felt the synapses of his senses firing off _danger_. It caused him to take a cautionary step back.

            “Well, well, well,” the woman sneered. “If it isn’t the new dynamic duo of New York. Must say, Spider-Man, I didn’t know your tastes in _partners_ were of the mercenary caliber. If I’d known that I would have offered my services much sooner.”

            Wade snorted and it took Peter a second to realize that she was flirting with him. Instead of gracing the taunt with a reply, Peter drew himself to his full height. “We know you work for Sniegoski. Tell us where he is.”

            “We heard you were looking for our boss. You two have been quite the pain in the ass.”

            Deadpool scoffed. “You know how it is. We gotta get our rocks off some how.”

            “Well it ends today.”

            Wade sighed heavily. “Oh, come off the cheesy one liners.”

            Peter noticed the way both of them tensed and only had a second to prepare himself before she slammed her fist against the floor. The building groaned and shuddered and the floor gave from under them. Peter yelped as he webbed to the nearest surface, calling out to Wade who had fallen with the debris.

            “Oh my God!” He heard from the merc, several floors down. “I am so gonna kick your ass!”           

            His senses flared anew as he turned to see the man, fire swirling around his hands with a crazed look on his face. “Oh crap,” Peter hissed as he dodged a fireball, his mind racing as he tried to figure out a way to deal with this new development. He kept moving around the room, avoiding the fire being shot at him. Peter quickly realized that the room was being set ablaze and was rapidly spreading to the floors above and below. Wade had returned, struggling with the woman. Peter headed for the window and a plan forming in his mind until a strong hand clamped around his ankle tight enough that he felt bones break. Peter cried out in pain as he was jerked back with inhuman strength. He collided with the wall, with just a second to catch his breath before the woman punched him in the face. His head spun. That was definitely going to leave a bruise.

            He lurched out of the way of the next attack, webbing her in the face as he spotted Wade fighting the man with the fire. He made a snap decision as he lunged for Wade, ignoring the pain in his ankle and the rising heat in the small space. He grabbed up the merc and threw him out the window.

            “What in the ass!” He heard Wade yell as he followed. Peter caught the merc before he could hit the ground and set them on a nearby roof.

            “You spider-brat!” Wade ranted. “We had them!”

            “In what fantasy!” Peter snapped back. “I mean look at the building, Wade! We didn’t have a fighting chance. What are they? Mutants?”

            “Or mutates.”

            “Whatever! The point is we were not prepared for that.” He looked back at the building, watching as flames licked out of the windows. Two motorcycles were driving away from the now wrecked building.

            “Lets follow.” Deadpool suggested.

            “No,” Peter bit out. His ankle was throbbing and his face felt hot and tender. He could already feel it swelling, pushing against the fabric of his mask.

            Wade paused, looking him up and down. “You are hurt.”

            Peter limped away. “It’s fine.”

            The man darted in front of him and squatted. “Hope on. We’ll regroup at my place.”

            He managed a bitter laugh. “Don’t think so.” Instead he grabbed Wade by the straps of his suit and swung them across the city. By the time they reached the merc’s apartment, he was already feeling it. They climbed through the window. Peter immediately went to the couch and sat down. Wade knelt in front of him and helped remove his boot, hissing in sympathy at the sight of his swollen ankle. Finger like bruises forming on pale skin.

            “Damn,” Wade grunted, getting to his feet and disappearing down the hall. The merc reappeared with the first aid. Peter sat silently as Wade wrapped his ankle and pressed around the joint.

            “I don’t thinks it’s completely broken.”

            “I should be fine in a few hours,” Peter said, pulling his leg to pull his boot back on. “So…”

            “The mutants shakes things up a bit. There is no telling how many he’s got employed. It just makes this job a hell of lot more dangerous.”

            Peter blinked in surprise at the weariness in the Wade’s voice. He blurted, “Thanks.”

            “For what?” Wade asked as he moved to sit next to Peter on the couch.

            “For sticking to our deal.”

            Wade shrugged. “It’s nothing.”

            It suddenly didn’t feel like nothing to Peter. He sighed, glancing at the time. He still had a few hours left to kill before heading to the tower. Maybe he could heal up before then.

            “So you…you could stay the night. To stay off your leg, you know. We could order some pizza and watch Netflix and, well, not chill. Through I totally be down for that but as we’ve established, you are a Spider-baby and—”

            Peter laughed lightly but took a moment to consider the offer. It would give him a little bit of time to heal up and he really didn’t want to bother Flash on his first night home. If he went home like this, he’d have a greater chance of someone seeing his face. Licking his lips, Peter decided to go for it and nodded. “Okay. Sure. You don’t mind?”

            “Nope! No mind here. None. Literally…Here! Let me go get you some pajammies.”

            Wade darted out of the room and into the bedroom. Peter briefly wondered what Deadpool’s everyday clothes looked like. What did he look like beneath the mask? Peter shook his head. Like himself, he was sure that Deadpool had his reasons for not showing his face. Even in SHIELD’s files of him, they didn’t have any unmasked photos of the merc. Peter found it odd when there wasn’t even descriptive details and yet they knew his name and some details of his past. Peter didn’t like to pry any more than he needed to.

            The mercenary returned a second later, a bundle of clothes in hand and his own suit missing save for the mask, gloves, and socks. Peter felt his mouth twitch in a frown but he didn’t comment on it. Instead he took in the Hello Kitty sleep pants and sweatshirt that read, “Bro, do you even Leviosa?” with a graphic of weights.

            Peter shuffled awkwardly over to Wade, taking the offered clothes. “So, you like Harry Potter?”

            “What twenty first century dweeb doesn’t?” Wade replied, sounding truly offended that Peter would question his love for the franchise.

            He grinned beneath the mask, clutching the clothes to his chest. “So, uh, what’s your house?”

            Wade gasped excitedly, leaning closer. “Hufflepuff!”

            “For real?” Peter questioned, a little surprised.

            “Yeah! What’s yours?”

            “Slytherin,” he admitted shyly.

            The merc inhaled sharply and his entire body slumped with what Peter could only guess was disbelief. “Whaaa? No, way. Go change, you are explaining this to me. I’ll order the pizza.”

            Peter smiled as limped into the bathroom. It was the typical space save for the gun on the sink counter, red stains in the sink bowl, and the weapons propped in the corner. Peter was sure the red stains were blood, no doubt from Wade having to clean his clothes. Peter had always been careful about cleaning the blood out of his own suits.

            Carefully, he removed the suit but left the mask and rolled it to his nose. He then pulled on the sweats, plain and dark gray, and the t-shirt which had a graphic of what looked like Cap’s shield and said, “I understood that reference.” Peter shook his head and frowned at the way the clothes hung off of him It was embarrassing. He was Spider-Man and could lift cars but everyone he knew were bigger than him. He folded his suit and left it on the counter before stepping back into the room where Wade was reclining on the couch. Peter sat down next to him, watching the merc flip through a disc case.

            “We are having a Harry Potter marathon.”

            “We can’t do that all in one night.”

            “So says the weak willed,” Wade replied, walking over to the Xbox next to the TV and put in a DVD.

            “I’ll be back,” Wade said in a mock Terminator voice before disappearing into the kitchen. Peter took that as his chance to call Tony.

            “Hello?” Came the distracted greeting. No doubt Tony was working in the lab and Jarvis had answered the call anyway.

            “Hey, Tony. I was wondering if I could spend the night at Flash’s.”

            “Sure. What are your plans?”

            “Uh, watch Harry Potter and just hang out at his place.”

            “When will you be back?”

            “Around noonish?”

            Tony snorted and said, “Okay. You two stay out of trouble and call me if you need anything.”

            “Sure, Tony…you too.”

            After he hung up, Wade returned with drinks and an ice pack. The merc sat at the other end of the couch, handing Peter his drink. He watched Wade silently as he hit play on the controller and then patted his lap, looking at Peter expectantly.

            “Let me see that ankle, Spidey.”

            Unsure, Peter slowly shifted so his bummed leg rested against Wade’s thigh. The merc pulled both legs up onto the couch and gently pressed the ice pack to his ankle.

            “Lay back and enjoy the show with my brilliant commentary.”

            Peter laughed at that but did as he was told and during opening credits Wade asked, “so how are you in Slytherin? I would have bet you were _Gryffindor_ or Ravenclaw.”

            “Me too,” Peter replied, grinning. “But me and my friend…we decided to do each other. That’s the house she put me in.” He smiled a little at the memory of Gwen explaining why he belonged in the house. “Later I took some online quizzes, including the one on Pottermore and they all said the same so I stuck with it. How about you?”

            “Well, you see that’s an interesting story. That’s how the writers wrote me in the comic issue—umph!”

            Peter lifted his good foot and shoved it in the merc’s face. “I swear, Wade!”

            The man chuckled, shoving Peter’s leg away. Shortly after that, their pizza came and Wade placed the boxes on the table in front of him and returned to his earlier position with the ice pack pressed to his ankle. It was really helping since it was effectively numbing the pain. They returned to the movie, devouring the pizza as Deadpool kept up a running commentary as promised. It was after sometime time after Draco had smarted off at Harry when Wade said, “it’s such a shame that Slytherins get such a bad rap. I like them to be honest.”

            “That’s such a Hufflepuff thing to say.” Peter remarked idly.

            “You, sir, can mind your own business.”

            “ ‘I don’t know where the fuck to put him,’ said the Sorting Hat when it was Wade Wilson’s turn. ‘Hufflepuff it is.’ ” He bit his lip against the big grin that was threatening to split his face.

            “You are a Slytherin!” Wade barked incredulously.

            “What? Did I hurt your Hufflepuff feelings?”

            “I retract my earlier statement. Slytherins are all evil, ungrateful Spider-brats.”

            “Snake. The house animal is snake.”

            Wade snatched his empty drink. “You think I don’t know that? I’ll have you know I was waiting in line to buy the books before you could even read.”

            Peter laughed as he raised his feet so Wade could stand. “Whatever you say, old man.”

            “Just for that I’m not making you breakfast!”

 

            Wade did end up making breakfast for Peter. They had eaten a gross amount of pancakes drizzled in ‘100% Pure Canadian Maple Syrup!’ while watching the second Harry Potter movie. He had fallen asleep at the tail end of the first movie and had woken to the sounds of Wade banging around in the kitchen and shouting about the ‘smell of victory!’ His ankle felt much better so he figured it had only been bruised and the damage to his face had faded a great deal. Hopefully by the time he wondered back to the tower it would be hardly noticeable.

            Peter watched the third one with Wade sprawled out on the couch this time, his socked feet in Peter’s lap. They talked about their favorite characters and looking up fan things on Peter’s phone until it was after noon. Peter slipped into the bathroom and changed back into his suit so he could head home. He was surprised by how much he didn’t want to leave. He had actually enjoyed his time with the mercenary. It had been so different than the time they spent together working and Peter didn’t think it was so bad.

            “Next weekend?” He asked shyly and Wade’s demeanor brightened considerably.

            “You betcha!” He replied with a thick Canadian accent.

            Peter left the apartment feeling more content and stress free than he had in awhile.

 

            Of course his good mood didn’t last long as he made his way to the lab where he would change into his clothes before heading back to the tower. He felt his spidey-senses twinge and paused on a roof top, looking out over the city. He spotted what he thought were robots flying above the buildings. The sounds of screaming and explosions reaching even this far. He didn’t waste any time with wondering _why_ but with how he would stop it as he leapt off the roof, heading in the direction of the chaos.

            His heart rate racked up as he arrived to the scene to meet the unknown threat. The robots weren’t particularly large or even impressive but they did pack a punch, enough so to cause alarm among the citizens. He didn’t spot any obvious origin for them or mad scientist controlling the bots. So he set about taking out as many as possible while trying to rescue as many civilians in the cross fire. He was doing well too until the Avengers showed. He spotted Iron Man and Falcon right off. Then did he notice Clint, Steve, and Bucky acting as ground support as they created a line of defense between the attacking robots and the police.

            There had been a time when Peter would have been excited to see the Avengers and even more so to have the chance to fight along side them for even a moment. However now that sort of dream had way too many risks. Those that he couldn’t afford. So easy he could slip and they figure out the truth beneath the mask. Peter couldn’t help but feel the tiniest bit irked as it was obvious they were all working and communicating together with him being completely out of the loop. He didn’t let it bother him too much because it wasn’t about him. It was about ensuring the safety of those of the city. That’s what truly mattered.

            Even then though it wasn’t easy, especially when Bucky threw a bot right at him. Of course it hadn’t been intentional, made obvious by the brief look of surprise on the Winter Soldier’s face, but that didn’t make colliding with several hundred pounds of steel any less painful. He grunted in pain as he lost his grip and was falling. Fortunately it wasn’t a long drop and he managed to roll out from beneath the malfunctioning robot.

            Groaning, Peter managed to get back to his feet and jumped back in the fray, ignoring the pain in his torso. He didn’t doubt that there might be a broken rib or two. As long as he wasn’t coughing up blood he wasn’t going to worry about it. Instead he punched a bot with enough force to put it completely out of commission. It actually hurt a bit but it was satisfying to watch it crash to the ground. He took advantage of this unique opportunity to his full strength to destroy as many robots as possible. He was so use to reigning in his abilities that he didn’t get to use them at their fullest potential. He could very easily kill someone that way.

            Eventually the fighting began to wind down and one robot zipped pass Peter, cutting his upper arm. He hissed as he finished disarming the one he had been struggling with. When he turned to go after it, the bot had disappeared. Peter frowned after it. His attention was drawn away from it when he heard Hawkeye call out to him.

            “Spider-Man, a word?”

            “What’s up, my best archer friend?” Peter replied, pitching his voice lower than normal, hoping that they wouldn’t recognize his voice. He really needed to make some kind of voice scrambler or something.

            “I’m your only archer friend.”

            “That you know of.”

            Hawkeye sighed loudly, the others walking up then. “Look, Spider-Man, we appreciate the help but from now on let us handle the situation.”

            If Peter didn’t like Clint so much he was sure he would have hit the man. Or at moved to hit him but he had self control and a guilt complex that kept him from doing so. Instead he gave a dry laugh. “Excuse me? Who was here first?”

            Clint shook his head. “I get it but this is out of your league. You don’t deal with robot armies. Your thing is petty criminals. No offense.”

            “Oh, a lot of offense taken.” Peter crossed his arms of his chest defensively.

            Steve cleared his throat. “Spider-Man, for everyone’s safety including ours and yours it is best that we stay clear of each other until you reveal your identity. Until then…”

            “Unbelievable,” Peter spit out. Normally he wouldn’t be bothered but it wasn’t Captain American and Hawkeye saying things or Iron Man looking uninterested as he spoke to someone over the phone. It was Steve and Clint and Tony. It was his friends that lived in the tower that showed so much concern for him as Peter Parker but apparently couldn’t care less about Spider-Man. It fucking hurt. “You think I’ll turn on you guys.”

            “It’s just a safety precaution…”

            “Whatever…I had a very high opinion of all of you but I guess it was misplaced.”

 

            Peter managed to get back to the tower before anyone else. He spent sometime helping people get to the hospitals and ambulances before heading back. He studied his reflection in the mirror. He had a bruise across his temple and down the side of his face where he had been bruised just the day before. His torso was purple and blue. Fortunately no swelling. He knew that there was going to be hell when Tony and the others got back. It didn’t help that he was still a little pissed about how little they regarded him.

            He just hoped to hide in his room until Monday morning. However there came a knock on his door, causing him to jump in his seat.

            “Uh, yeah?” He called out awkwardly.

            “It’s Tony…We are having take out. Is there anything you want?”

            “No, thanks. I’m not hungry.”

            There was a pause and Tony’s voice took on a suspicious edge. “Come out. I want to talk to you.”

            Peter sighed, swearing silently to himself before going to the door and opening it. He watched how Tony took in the bruising on his face. Then how his face pinched in something akin to anger and worry that Peter was becoming familiar with. Unfortunately.

            “Your face.”

            “My face,” Peter repeated weakly.

            “What happened to it?”

            He, _naturally,_ fumbled for a reply, stuttering over his words. “Tony, it’s not that big of a deal. It’s nothing.”

            “That doesn’t look like nothing.” Tony turned away and began walking down the hall. “Kitchen. Now.”

            “Why?”

            “Now, Peter.”

            Shaking his head, he followed Tony into the crowded kitchen. The others were even still in their combat gear sans weapons of choice and Sam had removed his wings at some point. Steve was next to him in an instant, gentle fingers lifting his chin to inspect the damage. Peter flushed as he squirmed under the scrutiny. The super-soldier made a concerned noise.

            “Peter, this looks bad. Maybe we should take you to the hospital make sure you don’t have a concussion or broken bones.”

            “No!” Peter blurted a little too loudly causing Steve to give him a startled look. “I mean…I’m fine. Nothing feels broken. I swear.”

            Tony made a skeptical noise as he returned, pressing an ice pack to his face. Peter took over the hold and looked down. He had moved too quickly and his breath hitched at the spike of pain radiating from his back and around his side. To normal people it probably would have been missed but not in a room full of super-soldiers and spies. He wasn’t fast enough to stop Clint from yanking his shirt up and exposing his battered chest and stomach. He stumbled back, his eyes flying to Tony’s in reaction. Peter saw several emotions fly across his godfather’s face until it finally settled on that same unhappy look just much more intense. Peter bit his cheek to quell the panic.

            “Tony, it’s not—”

            “Don’t you dare tell me it’s not ‘nothing’ or it’s not as bad as it looks. Peter, where were you?”

            “I-I…”

            “Tell me the truth.”

            Peter swallowed hard, glancing helplessly at the others. It became obvious that they weren’t going to interfere. Peter shook his head, running an aggravated hand through his hair. “I was in down town”

            Their eyes widened because that had been where the fighting had taken place today. “I was coming back to the tower when the robot things appeared out of no where. One had hit me…” He paused, thinking it over before adding just out of spite, “but Spider-Man saved me.”

            He couldn’t help it. If his lie ever got out, well, Peter didn’t want to think about how it would ruin his relationship with everyone in the tower but the brief look of guilt on Clint’s face was almost enough to cool his temper. Almost. It hurt knowing that they didn’t really have his back where it mattered most. He wanted to lash out. Really lash out at them but he knew he couldn’t. When he thought about it, he understood where they were coming from…but he couldn’t help but feel betrayed.

            Tony looked at a loss as what to say or do. Finally the man turned away and poured himself a drink. Despite his own anger, he didn’t like to see the others upset. Peter sighed. “Look. I’m fine, Tony. A lot of people are that way because you guys showed up. Nothing is broken and I made it back to the tower without any problems.”

            Steve placed a warm hand on the back of Peter’s neck. “You did good, Peter. Why don’t you eat and then head to bed.”

            “Yeah, that sounds good,” Peter relented, still looking at Tony. He felt conflicted for a moment before going over to the man. He touched his arm lightly and then pulled Tony into a hug because it seriously looked like the man needed one.

            “I’m safe, Tony.” He said into the other’s shirt.

            Tony released a heavy breath. “You better fucking be.”

            Peter snorted, pulling back slightly but kept his hand on Tony’s shoulder. “I could eat my weight in some fried rice right about now.”

            “I say,” Sam amended. “I’m starving and ready for a hot shower.”

            Soon everyone was moving to head to their respective rooms while Tony ordered the food. Steve paused by Peter with a pensive frown. “Are you sure you are okay?”

            Peter smiled, unable to look the super-soldier in the eye. “I’m fine, Steve.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are at chapter 7! So exciting. 
> 
> This story had definitely been quite the undertaking for me. I'm actually further ahead than just this chapter but this story just keeps getting larger and bigger. I'm having to start to make side notes so I don't forget things XD 
> 
> I am also considering creating a playlist for this story. I don't know yet. Any ideas? 
> 
> Any way, of course Peter and Wade would bond over Harry Potter. Finally delving into some Spideypool. ^.^
> 
>  
> 
> Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy! Feel free to leave a comment if you have any thoughts or questions!!!
> 
> >>>Updates are Sunday!!!
> 
> EDIT: I will not be posting this Sunday. I have been dealing with serious anxiety and depression this past week and have been unable to work on the story and I refuse to put out a chapter that I'm not happy with. I just ask my readers to be patient because I promise it will be worth the wait. 
> 
> The next update: July 10 (hopefully)


	8. The Beginning

With a book balanced on his knees, Peter watched Flash run around the basketball court. He tried to study but he found himself even deeper into a predicament he should have seen coming. He was sure that Tony and Steve believed that he was involved in something but the “it was a skateboard accident” or “I was attacked by flying robots” excuses were not going to keep working. He tried being careful when he was fighting crime but the simple fact of the matter was that he was going to get hurt. He had to come up with something believable and something that wouldn’t get him into an insane amount of trouble. He couldn’t say that it was drugs or alcohol. Something a typical teenager would probably be involved in but those things don’t usually leave regular bruises.

            It had been two weeks since he had been involved in the random robot attack and he felt like he was walking around on eggshells. He hadn’t gone out much with Deadpool to do patrols, worried about getting injured and not having an excuse. He racked his brain but kept on coming up empty, unsure of what to do about his problem.

            He flinched when someone flicked his ear and looked up as Flash flopped down next to him, panting lightly. “Should you even be running?”

            The other teen shrugged. “It’s whatever. I’m fine.”

            “Whatever.” Peter retorted with a small laugh.

            “So what’s buggin’ you…Oh god, did I just make a pun?” Flash’s face twisted into a cringe.

            Peter smiled before shrugging his shoulders. “I have a problem.”

            “Dude, you run around at night in skin tight spandex, throwing cars and dodging bullets and you are telling me you have a problem?”

            “No…well, yeah. My problem is that I’m having trouble hiding my extra activities at home.”

            “Dude, your aunt probably has your shit already figured out.”

            “No, not my aunt.”

            Flash turned to him fully. “What do you mean?”

            Peter flushed as he remembered he hadn’t exactly told Flash everything. “I, um, was sent to live with my godfather when I kept coming home late and stuff. My aunt is in Chicago right now helping take care of her older sister.”

            “Whose your godfather?”

            “Tony Stark.” Peter muttered quietly.

            Flash’s jaw dropped, his eyes going wide as he gaped at Peter, and then… “What the shit, Parker!”

            Peter flinched as everyone in the gym turned around to look at them. He was sure they were a source of all the school gossip, considering how they had been typical teenage enemies not that long ago. “Flash,” he hissed.

            The teen stood suddenly, snatching Peter by the arm and dragging him out of the gym until they were outside and away from prying ears. “When were you going to tell me that you are living with _the_ Tony Stark, a.k.a fucking Iron Man?”

            Peter gave a helpless roll of his shoulders. “Uh, see that’s a good question…”

            “Parker.”

            “Okay, look. It’s not that I kept it a secret on purpose. This whole thing is new to me. I just didn’t think it was important until now.”

            Flash shook his head. “Only you…Okay, so. You are having trouble hiding you are Spider-Man from Iron Man. Well, I’m pretty sure that tells me more than I’d ever thought I’d know about an Avenger’s personal life.”

            “Flash, come on. I’m working this case with Deadpool and it’s only going to get more dangerous as we dig deeper and I keep going to the tower with these bruises that I can’t explain. I— fuck. I don’t know what to say anymore.”

            “Would it be the end of the world if they knew though?” Flash asked as the bell rung, signaling the end of school. They began walking to stay ahead of the crowds of students.

            “I don’t know how they would react. I’m not exactly on their speed dial for when shit goes down…They actually have a low opinion of Spider-Man.”

            “What makes you think that?”

            Peter shrugged, shoving his hands in the pocket of his sweat shirt as they stopped by Flash’s locker. “I don’t know. Just they don’t know me and I don’t think they like working with unknown variables, you know? I think that they think I might turn evil or something.”

            “Well, tell them to get over it.” Flash suggested, shouldering his bag. “Because screw that. You were doing your thing before the team came together in New York.”

            “I guess but that still doesn’t help me with my other issue.”

            “I’m getting to that. I might not be book smart like you but I know a thing or two.” They paused in conversation to escape the congested halls. Once they were out on the street walking towards Flash’s home, he resumed. “Okay, so you show up late and beaten up, right?”

            “Yeah, I’ve already used the excuses that some guy picked a fight with us when we hung out.”

            Flash snorted at that, smirking. “Parker, that’s so lame.”

            “I know!”

            The jock stopped walking and turned to look directly at Peter. “Street fighting.”

            Peter blinked at him. “Excuse me?”

            Flash rolled his eyes. “Join a fight competition. An underground one. Or just say that you did.”

            “How does that help me?” Peter asked, exasperated. “That’s not any better. I’ll still get in trouble.”

            “But it’ll keep you out of juvie, rehab, and your identity a secret. Sure you can’t outright say it but if he ever follows you or you find yourself in a tight spot, it’s a good lie to fall back on.”

            “That’s insane.”

            “It’s totally solid. Or about as solid as it’s gonna get. It’ll explain your bruises and late night escapades.”

            “I don’t know…”

            “Look. I know where one is. There is a fight next Friday night. Winner gets cut of the bets in award money. Lets just go and check it out. What’s the harm?”

            Peter rubbed a hand over his face and then into his hair, thinking. He weighed the pros and cons of Flash’s idea. It was honestly better than nothing. He tried to think of an alternative but Flash was right. His options were very limited and very few could explain the bruises. Fighting for competition seemed to be looking like the better idea to his problems. Sure, he couldn’t out right share this bit of information with Tony or the others over the dinner table but it was something to fall back on when they pressed. If they found out about it, well, he could avoid the whole drugs and alcohol issue. He imagined that they would try to ban him from going but he’d deal with it if it ever came to that.

            “Okay. Let’s do it.”

 

            “You know what I hate?”

            Peter grinned beneath his mask as he webbed the would be muggers to the front of the police station. He was glad that the comms he made for them were working so well.

            “Let me guess…Little old ladies who hit you with your purse when you try to help them across the street?”

            “No,” Wade fired back. “Gotta love that spunk. It ages like a fine wine in old people.”

            “What do you know about fine wine?” Peter asked as he swung away from the building before the cops could come out and point their guns at him.

            “Fuck you. At least I’m old enough to drink.”

            Peter snickered and landed on the roof next to Wade. “Okay. I’ll bite. What do you hate?”

            “It’s a Small World. Trademark Disney.”

            “For real?”

            “For realsies. Have you ever been on the ride? All the little fucking robo dolls everywhere give me the heebie-jeebies. Makes a guy paranoid that they are just gonna spring and eat my face. Like in the horror films. You know the one I’m talking about? Nuh huh. A possessed doll can’t be possessed if it’s shattered to bits.”

            Peter put his fist on his hips, titling his head. “Please don’t tell me you that you shot up a Disney World ride.”

            “They were looking at me funny, Spidey,” Deadpool told him with a serious edge to his voice.

            “Oh my God. Of course.”

            “They did an amazing job covering the incident. It just added evidence to my ‘Conspiracies of Disney’ scrapbook. There’s totally dead bodies hidden under some of the rides.”

            He crossed his arms over his chest, smirking. “I bet. Especially after you had been there a few days.”

            “That’s rude. I’ve been doing great with the whole not killing thing.”

            “And you are doing good.”

            “Awww. Do you really mean that? I told you guys that Spidey likes us!”

            Peter huffed a laugh and moved to the edge of the roof. From this position he could see Oscorp. Peter didn’t know where Harry was but the company was still clicking along, making new discoveries every day. It made him nervous to consider what the next weapon of destruction might emerge as.

            “Let’s play tag!” Wade suddenly suggested, interrupting Peter’s thoughts.

            Peter turned to the mercenary. “You can’t be serious.”

            “I’m as serious as a heart attack. Let’s play.”

            Peter rolled his eyes but he smiled. “Okay, but we stick to the roof tops.”

            “No web slinging either…One, two three! Not it!” Wade cackled as he began running. “You it, Spidey! Catch me if you can!”

            Peter shook his head and let Wade have a ten second head start. He then ran, not going as fast as he thought he could as he cleared building after building. He spotted Wade crossing the roof tops and clearing the spaces in between with an agility that rivaled Peter’s own. Grinning, he pivoted his body to change direction and saw Wade do the same so they were running parallel to each other, a street separating them. Peter launched himself, jumping further than he normally attempted without his webs. He rolled as he landed and took off after Wade. The merc squealed as he realized Peter’s close proximity.

            Peter lost himself in the movement and the way his blood pounded in his ears. He ran harder and leapt further until he felt the burn in his legs. It was an odd sensation outside of a fight. He then pushed himself harder until Wade was just within reach…then his spidey senses flared in alarm and he tripped, sailing head long into Wade. They rolled across the roof, Peter snatching Wade’s arm and throwing him back onto the roof when he had fallen over the side.

            “It’s tag, Spidey! What did I do to you?”

            “Shhhh,” Peter hissed as he jumped back to his feet, searching for the threat. “Something’s wrong.”

            “Do you have ESP?” Wade asked but then the sounds of fighting drew their attention. “Time to get to work.”

            They followed the commotion and found Daredevil grappling with some bad guys on the back street below them. Peter didn’t hesitate to jump into the fray, knocking out the first guy he came to. Between the three of them, it was quick work with minimum injuries. He turned to the red clad vigilante out of Hell’s Kitchen. Peter had met the man before and it was always an intimidating experience.

            “Thank you for the assistance, Spider-Man…Deadpool.”

            “No problemo, Devil-boy,” Wade replied cheerfully and Peter couldn’t help but roll his eyes.

            “What happened here?” He asked.

            The other hero was searching one of the unconscious men. When he found what he was looking for, Daredevil tossed it to Peter. “That. They were dealing drugs.”

            Peter frowned as he opened the bag and took out a small bottle. There were syringes in the bag as well. He examined the oddly colored fluid in the container.

            “What kind of drug is this?”

            Wade had moved up behind him, leaning forward so his chin rested on Peter’s shoulder. Peter didn’t even bother to shrug the man off. “I wouldn’t want something that color in my body.”

            “It is known as Void. The drug is developed from the Mary Mary that hit the streets a month or so back.”

            Peter nodded, knowing exactly what the man was talking about. “What’s different about it?”

            “Double M was just a test run. This is the final product…or at least close to it. It’s more addictive than heroin and promises to give a high unlike any other but what it fails to mention is that it causes hallucinations and enhanced strength and rage in humans.”

            Peter squinted his eyes, catching the way Daredevil paused. “Why do I feel like there is a but.”

            “There is always a but,” Wade commented, having remained remarkably silent through the conversation from his perch on Peter’s shoulder.

            “While it enhances strength in humans, it diminishes it in anyone with altered DNA.”

            “Really? So like people like me and Captain America are at risk of this stuff?”

            “That’s what my sources say,” Daredevil replied wirily. “Excuse me for not testing the side effects myself.”

            “How dare you,” Deadpool mocked whispered.

            Peter pursed his lips before pocketing the vial and handed the bag back over to Daredevil, causing Wade to fall off his shoulder. “I’ve got a…lab I can use. I’ll let you know what I can find.”

            “You do that. I’ll keep informed of the distribution. It seems to be coming out of Queens but I haven’t been able to narrow it down further.”

            Wade hummed loudly. “Do I detect Team Red parties in the future?”

            Peter smiled but it slipped as he spotted Daredevil’s scowl deepen. He quickly said, “Wade and me are trying to track down a guy behind this. Sniegoski. We broke up a few trades before.”

            The vigilante nodded. “I’ll let you know what I turn up.”

            They parted ways. Him and Wade went on to break up a few petty crimes before heading to their respective homes. He debated with himself about bringing the drug to Tony’s lab or his in the train. Tony’s had better and newer tech while his was safe and private. Ultimately he decided to run the tests in Tony’s labs just for the sake of accuracy and details. He stopped by the train to change his clothes before heading to the tower.

            When he returned the penthouse was empty. He quickly got to work, listening carefully for any noises to suggest someone was coming. It was nerve wracking as the computers and machines did their thing. Eventually he got the report printed out and cleared away the evidence. Once that was done he read the pages printed out. What baffled him was an unfamiliar ingredient.

            Shaking his head, he left the lab. He felt troubled as he looked up the word on his computer and found no results. He didn’t dare ask JARVIS for any help but perhaps this was the element that caused the super strength and the opposite effect in people like him. He couldn’t help but wonder _how_ exactly but he wasn’t that curious to find out. He was also posed with the question _why._ Why would someone make a drug that caused strength and rage in the users? Even if it was addictive could it really make the money the producer wanted? Or was there something else going on? He just knew what it had the potential of doing and that was enough for him to know to stay away from it. He slipped the report in his bag, planning to bring it Daredevil later.

 

            “This is a bad idea,” Peter grumbled as they walked into the sketchy building. It was a few days after Flash’s suggestion. He still wasn’t use to the idea. He looked around, taking in the not so friendly characters that they passed. They climbed a set of stairs and paused at an office door. Peter shared a worried glance with Flash before lifting his hand to knock. A gruff “Enter!” came through the door and Peter stepped inside, hesitating as he took in the portly man with an ugly sneer.

            “What do you brats want?”

            Peter moved closer as Flash shut the door behind him. “I want to enter the fight competition.”

            The man looked at him for a second and then began laughing obnoxiously. “You, kid? That’s the funniest thing I’ve heard all day.”

            “I’m serious.” Peter pressed, handing the man his fake ID, the one that Flash had made for him, and the entrance fee for the fight. The man fell silent and seemed to regard Peter more seriously.

            “You want to fight? Fine but if you get hurt that’s on you.” He pocketed the cash and had Peter sign some papers. Once it was settled, they were kicked out and told where to meet next Friday.

            They breathed a sigh of relief once they were outside. “I can’t believe I’m doing this.”

            “Look on the bright side. At least when you win, you make some money.”

            Peter shook his head. “I don’t like this.”

            Flash huffed. “Quit crying about it. You got yourself in this mess to begin with.”

            “I know! You don’t have to rub it in.” Peter didn’t feel like this plan was any better than his current predicament but he was going ahead with it, hoping that it wouldn’t be a total failure.

            “You win some and you lose some,” Flash went on. “It could be worse.”

            “I know. I have to come up with a disguise. I don’t want anyone seeing me there.”

            Flash grinned. “So a new mask and alter ego?”

            “Yeah…Do you want to come to the tower and help me get something together for Friday?”

            Flash’s eyes went wide. “Are you serious? You are inviting me to the Avenger’s Tower? Fuck yes! Lets go.”

            Peter huffed a laugh. “Come on then.”

            He was little nervous about taking Flash up to the penthouse just simply because he had never discussed rules about inviting friends over. When he first moved into the tower it wasn’t like he had any friends to worry about inviting over. As for his friend, Flash looked star struck as they stepped onto the elevator and rode up to the top. He was still gaping as they stepped into the penthouse. Peter was use to it by now but he remembered how the space had overwhelmed him in the beginning.

            Peter hesitated when he spotted Sam and Steve in the living room. They stopped in their conversation and turned to them. Steve gave one of his polite smiles and approached them. “Hey, Peter. Who is your friend?”

            “Oh, uh, this is Flash. Flash, this Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson.”

            His friend’s jaw dropped as he shook hands with Steve, obviously recognizing the super-soldier. “Y-you’re Captain —”

            Steve’s grin broadened as he cut off Flash. “Please. Call me Steve.”

            Flash also shook hands with Sam but Peter knew that he wouldn’t know who Sam’s alter ego was. Some of the Avengers were low profile while others like Tony and Steve were known by the general public. Peter grabbed Flash around the elbow and pulled lightly.

            “We’ll be in my room studying…Is this okay?”

            “Of course,” Steve replied. “You can have friends over whenever you like. I’m sure Tony would even like to throw parties for you and your classmates.”

            Peter blanched at that and shook his head. “No parties, please.”

            Flash snapped out his dumbstruck look and frowned at Peter. “Dude, you have the opportunity to make Midtown High history and you gonna say no?”

            He glared at his friend. “Yes. Come on. I want to get my homework done.” Before anything else could be said, he dragged Flash out of there with a little more force than necessary. He sighed in relief once his bedroom door was closed. Flash began snooping around his space without any hint of shame, opening drawers and his closet.

            “Dude, where do you keep your spidey gear?”

            Peter smirked. “Not here.”

            Flash’s eyes narrowed skeptically before he gasped. “You have a spider-lair!”

            Peter dragged his palm over his face. “Let’s focus on the task at hand?”

            “You gotta show me. Please?”

            “Oh my God. You are worse than Deadpool.” Peter grumbled as he began searching through his closet.

            “Do I get to meet him?”

            Peter couldn’t blame Flash for sounding so excited. He imagined he would be too if his friend was a superhero doing stuff with other heroes. He shook his head. “You absolutely cannot meet Deadpool. I don’t fully trust the guy myself. I can’t expose you to danger like that.”

            Flash frowned as he plopped on Peter’s bed. “If you don’t trust him why work with him?”

            “Well, I just don’t know that much about him and I don’t know if he’ll ever turn on me once we are done with this job.” Peter bit the inside of his cheek because that hadn’t been necessarily true. The fact was that he was beginning to trust Wade, but it was still a fragile alliance and Peter couldn’t help but be cautious.

            “Dude, that’s messed up. You are trusting this guy every time you work with him not to hurt you. That has got to be stressful.”

            Peter nodded. “You’re telling me.”

            He pulled out some of his older street clothes and beanies and masks from the bottom of his closet. They were the clothes he wore in the beginning before he came up with the costume design. He laid out a pair of work out pants, a loose but thin hoodie, a scarf and beanie. They were all dark colors except for the hoodie which was red. Flash gave him an unimpressed look.

            “Your costume choice is simply eye catching.”

            Peter shrugged. “I’m there to fight. Not put on a show.”

            “But you’ll have to. At least some what if you don’t want anyone catching on to you. You’ll probably need to lose some to.”

            “True. I can’t draw too much attention.”

            “They’ll ask for a nick name.”

            “The Human Spider?”

            “Shit, that’s awful. No.”

            Peter laughed at the Flash’s face twisted in disgust. “Look I’ll tell them to come up with something. Like I said, I’m not that worried about appearances.”

            Flash huffed as Peter folded the decided clothes and set them on the end of his dresser before sitting at his desk.

            “So,” Flash began.

            “So?”

            “Are we really doing homework?”

            “No,” Peter laughed. “I figured we’d just hang out.”

            They did hang out, talking about the usual things. Flash didn’t pry anymore into the superhero stuff thankfully. It was making Peter feel a little awkward and out of place. Eventually there was a light knock on the door and Steve poked his head in, smiling at them.

            “Hey, guys. Dinner is here. Do you like Thai, Flash? You are more than welcomed to join us.”

            Flash’s face went slack. “For real? Yes, I’d love that!”            

            Peter laughed lightly and followed Steve out the door with Flash right on his heels. As soon as they walked into the kitchen Tony approached them, hand extended.

            “You must be Flash. It’s good to finally meet you.”

            “Yes, sir. It’s, uh, good to meet you too, Mr. Stark.”

            “Please. Call me Tony.”

            The teen flushed at that and turned even more red when Pepper walked over and introduced herself. Peter just snickered and bit his lip as Flash looked like a deer in headlights at meeting Bucky. Peter dragged his friend over to the food, shoving a plate into his hands. “Get as much as you want. They always have a lot of food.”

            “I’ve seen how you eat, Parker. For a small guy, you can shovel a whole pizza away by yourself.”

            He just shook his head and went to sit down. Flash slid into the seat next to his, right across from the Captain America trio as Peter liked to call them. The adults talked lightly amongst themselves before Pepper turned to Flash and asked, “So, Flash, how long have you and Peter been friends?”

            They glanced at one another, clearly startled by the question and Peter could see Flash turning red with possible panic. “I, uh, grew up with Peter, but we haven’t been close until like a month or so ago…?”

            “Oh?”

            “Yeah,” Peter jumped in to save the other teen. “He asked for some help on class stuff and we just hit it off.”

            “That’s good.”

            Tony cleared his throat from Peter’s left. “Do you have any plans after high school.”

            Flash seemed to sit up a little straighter. “Yes, sir. I’m going into the army. I start basic this summer.”

            That immediately grabbed the Captain trio’s attention. Steve smiled, his expression filling with something that Peter could only describe as camaraderie. “That’s good of you, son. That’s not an easy decision to make.”

            Flash shrugged, seeming embarrassed as he ducked his head, and Peter’s heart skipped as he saw tears in his friend’s eyes. He quickly jumped in. “Yeah, he’s an amazing basketball player too. Like we are the two most unlikely friends but because he’s secretly a nerd so we got along great after that.”

            “Hey, I’m not a nerd.”

            “You have a Spider-Man poster on your wall.” Peter said casually without even thinking about it until it was too late.

            “Wait,” Tony interrupted, “you have a Spider-Man poster?”

            “And t-shirts,” Peter added weakly, trying to grin but it felt more like a grimace. Flash shot him a glare as he nodded.

            “What is with this spider guy? I mean. We have the Hulk.”

            Flash glanced at Peter before leaning forward to see Tony better and replied, “That’s true and that’s really cool too but Spider-Man is different from all of you.”             Peter’s head whipped around as he gaped at Flash who just smiled as he went on. “I mean this guy is from New York. His name gets dragged through the mud, and I’m sure no one is paying him, but he still does what he does. He flies solo. The dude is just awesome and he’s ours. No one is ever going to be able to properly thank the guy for all he’s done.”

            They shared a look and Peter gave a small smile as Tony huffed and Pepper laughed. “Tony, get over it. You aren’t popular among the youth. It’s nothing to get bent out of shape about.”

            “I have a flying suit of armor.”

            Sam grinned. “And Spider-Man can probably kick your ass with you in it.”

            They all laughed but Peter was glad when they moved onto other topics. Once the meal was over and he walked Flash back home after Steve invited him over for another time. It was quiet until Flash said, “I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable talking about Spider-Man stuff.”

            “It’s okay. I get it.” Peter really did and he was glad that there were people like Flash trying to defend his name even when he didn’t feel like he deserved it.

            “I just think it sucks for you, you know? I mean they really don’t have your back do they?”

            Peter shrugged. “Not really. I mean I’ve never asked for their help and I just…accepted that I would never be one of them and honestly I’m not sure if I want to be.”

            “How come?”

            “Because I would have to answer to the adults and I’ve just been doing things my way for so long. I don’t know if I would be okay with being on a leash. It’s like you said, I’m here for New York. All of it. Whenever I can. What if I’m doing something for the Avengers and something happens here? Who will protect the city when I’m gone? Not them. That’s for sure.”

            “That’s kind of harsh, Peter. They live here too now, don’t they?”

            “For the most part but they do have a new Avenger facility somewhere out of the city. They are caught up in their own stuff… It’s just me and Deadpool on the Sniegoski case. They could help and probably have it wrapped up in no time but…nothing.”

            Peter shook his head, feeling his mood darken. “Let’s not talk about this. They are good people. They do what they can and there is no reason for me to get bitter over it.”

            Flash pulled him into a rough one armed hug. “Hey, it’ll work out. You aren’t alone, Peter. I’m here if you ever need anything…though I can’t imagine what I could possibly do.”

            Peter smiled at his friend. “This is enough.”

 

            An hour had passed since he had come in from another Sniegoski hunt. Peter had managed to locate Daredevil and handed him his reports, wishing him luck. Now he was reclining on his bed in his sleep clothes reading online forums about him and Deadpool teaming up together. Generally the reviews were mixed simply because they were both masked men that the public didn’t know anything about. Peter didn’t care what public opinion was of him as long as it didn’t interfere with his ability to work.

            A rapid tap on his door drew his attention. He crawled out of bed, pocketing his phone and answered the door. His brows rose as he saw Clint standing in the hallway in full Hawkeye gear with a neutral expression.

            “Since I am on baby sitting duty, I demand to have amazing Aunt May’s Coconut Oatmeal cookies I’ve heard so much about.”

            “Baby sitting duty? What?”

            Clint sighed. “Tony and Steve had an emergency meeting or something. I don’t know. I wasn’t paying attention. Now are you going to fix me food?”

            “Uh, sure.” Peter pulled on a hoodie and followed the archer into the kitchen. Natasha was there, sitting on the counter and reading something on her phone.

            She looked up at him as he walked in gave a small smile. “Hello, Peter. Hope he didn’t wake you.”

            “No, I was up.”

            “I want cookies.” Clint interjected.

            Natasha gave him a patient look and turned to Peter. “Ignore him.”

            “No, it’s okay. I don’t mind.” He hesitated before moving around to gather the ingredients. It was late again but he wasn’t feeling tired…Actually he was but for the past several nights every time he laid down to go to sleep his mind would start racing and he couldn’t sleep. It was becoming a problem but as long as he kept busy, he was fine.

            He got to work as Clint and Natasha chatted. They were an interesting pair. It was odd seeing them so relaxed, Natasha smiling so easily and Clint slumped in his chair. Peter was used to seeing them while in his suit. Then they were always rigid and calculating. He couldn’t help but think of the way Clint had told him to stay away from the Avengers and SHIELD. It was a thorn in his side and it hurt. Trying not to be mad and frustrated was proving harder than he thought even though he understood why it had to be this way.

            “What’s wrong?” Clint asked suddenly.

            Peter’s eyes flew up to meet his. “Nothing.”

            “You’ve got that pinched look. Don’t tell me you don’t. I know that look.”           

            “I…It’s nothing. Just thinking about school stuff.”

            “I’m glad I didn’t go to high school. It looks absolutely hellish.”

            “No, like an idiot you went and joined the circus instead.”

            “Mind your own business, Nat.”

            Peter smiled as he listened to them banter back and forth. Once the cookies were in the oven, he dug through the fridge for something to eat. He settled for Tony’s left over sushi. As he popped a roll in his mouth, Nat turned to him.

            “Peter, I learned that you used to take photos for the Daily Bugle.”

            He swallowed to soon and had to take chase it with some water before he could properly respond. “Uh, yeah.”

            “Your shots of Spider-Man are impressive.”

            He so did not like where this was going. Even though her posture was relaxed and she wore a hint of smile, Peter couldn’t help but feel like she can see right through him. _Oh, shit. She knows._ Ran a mantra through his thoughts. Of course the secret assassin would figure it out. He tried to play it cool. “Um, thanks.”

            “Don’t worry. I won’t tell Tony. I’m sure he would blow a gasket if he knew you were putting yourself so close to danger for a picture.”

            Peter frowned. “Danger? Spider-Man isn’t dangerous.”

            “No,” she amended, “but the guys he deals with are.”

            “Oh.”

            She nodded and Clint gave him a thoughtful look. “Do you still take pictures?”

            “Oh, uh, no. I just have lost interest.” He shoved another roll into his mouth so he couldn’t answer any more questions. They let it drop but he couldn’t help but wonder why they were looking into his life. It made him feel edgy. Maybe it was just an assassin thing.

            Once the cookies were done and cooling on the rack, Clint shoved a whole one in his mouth, groaning in delight. “Bless your aunt for existing and teaching you. That’s it. You are now the Avenger’s official baker.”

            Peter shook his head and cleaned up his mess. They ended up in the living room, watching Jurassic Park movies and debating over which one was the best. It was then that Peter realized that his list of friends were growing. Fear settled into the pit of his stomach because what if they found out? What if the Avengers discovered who he was and that he was under them the whole time, learning personal bits of information about them? How angry would they be? He didn’t like the places that his mind took him so he became just that much more determined to not let them ever find out.

 

            “You are an idiot,” Peter grumbled for what felt like the twentieth time that night as he struggled with Wade. “This is so not how I want to spend my Saturday night. Just FYI.”

            “But I am your idiot.” The merc retorted as they stumbled into his apartment together after what had felt like a long night.

            “Sometimes I wish you weren’t.”

            Peter wasn’t even completely sure what had happened. One moment they were fine, chilling on a roof top and talking, when all of a sudden his spidey-senses flared. He had pulled him and Wade from the ledge out of harms way as shots were fired at them. They were soon engaged in a fight with unknown hit men. At some point during the skirmish, Wade had been shot and bleeding profusely from his shoulder. Peter hadn’t panicked when he saw how little distress the merc had been in but he also didn’t want to linger much longer while the man was still injured.

            He shoved Wade down onto the couch that at some point had become their nursing station. Usually it was Peter sitting there, having cuts and bones bandaged. He cleared his throat. “Don’t move.” Peter retrieved the fully stocked first aid kit that they had put together after this became a thing. He sat down next to Wade who was leaning back against the seat cushions. Peter removed the things he thought he would need from the kit and lifted his mask over his mouth and nose.

            “Remove your suit top.”

            “Now, Spidey, I thought we had this discussion. We aren’t allowed to have any kind of sexy time until you are of age.”

            “Wade,” Peter bit out, slowly loosing patience. “I just want to dress your wounds. That’s all. Stop being a baby.”

            “I resent that unless you are calling me your baby,” Wade sang at him.

            “Wade.”

            “It’s fine. I’ll heal in time.”

            “While you bleed all over the place. Let me disinfect it and bandage it at least.” Peter tried to reason.

            “No.”

            He huffed, exasperated. “Why are you being so difficult? I don’t complain when you try to patch me up. Come on, Wade. Let’s get this over with. I’ll feel better and you’ll probably feel better too.”

            “My healing factor…”

            “I don’t care about your healing factor. You are injured _now_. Let me help you.”

            Deadpool stared at him through the lens of his mask before leaning forward to pluck the scissors from the kit. Peter watched silently but curiously as Wade cut away at his suit and ripping the sleeve off on his injured side all in go. Peter tried not to look at the skin disfiguration along the man’s left arm. It looked like old burn scars, shiny and made the skin look thick. He shifted closer, fully aware of Wade’s gaze on him, and focused on the bullet wounds.

            There were three holes on the front of his shoulder. The bleeding had stopped somewhat but the skin was swollen and turning red in the surrounding area. Carefully, Peter began cleaning away the blood as Wade spoke. “My body is already working the bullet bits out…”

            “I’ll just clean it and pack it then…Are you sure you don’t need a doctor?”

            Wade’s mask stretched around a smile. “I am sure.”

            Peter hesitated, looking at the wound. It didn’t look fatal and Wade seemed comfortable, aware, and breathing fine. He even glanced at the man’s finger nails and saw that they were pink with regular blood flow. So he nodded and began working with irrigating the three holes and pouring disinfectant. Wade hissed at that and Peter could only smirk, considering the merc had done it to him before. When he was done, he packed it to catch any blood and hoped that Wade was right about his healing factor.

            “Alright. I’m done.” Peter picked up the mess and set the kit on the counter in the kitchenette off the living room. He got Wade a glass of water and heated up some left over pizza. He handed over the food and drink to the merc who seemed surprised. Peter shrugged as he sat back down and reached for the remote. It was still a little weird that he felt so comfortable in the merc’s place.

            “Your body is healing. You need to eat and stay hydrated,” he explained.

            Wade snorted but shoved the pizza in his mouth without complaint. After a moment he pulled out the disc case and flopped it on the table. Flipping through it, Wade found what he was looking for and pulled it out. A few minutes later, the fourth Harry Potter movie was coming on. Peter smiled, reclining back on the couch to take a breather. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Wade’s arm and the bottom half of his face. It looked like his face was covered in the same kind of scars that adorned his arms. Peter vaguely wondered how far it spread or if it just simply covered his entire body. He wondered what happened to cause that sort of damage. If he had the scars before or after he got his healing factor. If it had been after, it made Peter question exactly how good it actually was.

            “Are you going to ask?” Wade asked, so quietly Peter almost missed the question.

            “Ask what?” Peter decided to play dumb but he knew what Wade was implying.

            “About the scars.” The merc replied a little louder and with a little more bite.

            “Well, no. I mean if you want to tell me that’s cool but I wasn’t going to pry. I just figured you’d share when you were ready.”

            Wade scoffed at that, taking another bite of food. “I had cancer. My entire body is ate up with it. You know this. The Weapon X program failed to mention that my body would be covered in these shitty scars for the rest of my life while the cancer tears my body apart and the healing factor tries to heal it.”

            “Shit, Wade.” Peter eyes went wide as Wade set his plate down on the coffee table and took his mask off, like all the way off, turning to him. Sure Peter noticed the same scarring that dominated Wade’s face and head. How it crept down his neck, disappearing beneath the collar of his suit. He saw how the scarring left him completely hairless but he didn’t focus on any of those things. Instead he zeroed in on how wide and bright Wade’s eyes looked. Peter swore he could get lost in how dark they were, flecked with bits of gold. He didn’t miss how they were sunken in and ringed in dark circles. He most certainly didn’t miss how his eyes were framed by the longest lashes Peter had ever seen. His heart so did not give a nervous tick.

            Wade shifted, a frown deepening on his face. Peter quickly realized that the man was waiting for some sort of response and he scrambled for something to say. “I-I—”

            “Like to see what the face of hell looks like?” Wade said jokingly but there was no mirth behind his words.

            “No,” Peter snapped, even though he didn’t mean it. His heart clenched to think that Wade thought so poorly of himself. Things were suddenly starting to make sense. “No. Don’t say that about yourself. You don’t have the ‘ _face of hell’_ or whatever. You have scars. Who cares? You are a kick ass fighter and you are fun to hang out with.”

            Wade’s face was so open as he looked at Peter in something akin to awe. He reached out to him, the rough pads of his fingers brushing along Peter’s exposed jaw. His breath hitched and Peter found himself leaning closer, wrapping his arms around the merc in a hug. He was keenly aware of how this didn’t feel like any kind of hug he’d given to anyone else. It was charged with something that he couldn’t describe as Wade pulled him closer. Peter just held him tighter, something loosening in his chest.

            “Thank you,” he said.

            “What for?”

            “For showing me. For…trusting me.”

            Wade pulled away then, giving him a long look. “You aren’t grossed out?”

            “No. Why would I be?”

            Wade shrugged and Peter sat back, looking at him expectantly. “Most people don’t respond so well.”

            Peter smirked and nudged him with his elbow. “Good thing I’m not most people.”

            Wade’s hand cupped the side of his face, his thumb brushing close to his lips. “Damn, I want to kiss you.”

            He flushed, swallowing hard. The merc had teased him plenty before about kissing him but this was suddenly different. Like he hadn’t really meant it before but the words now held a bit of truth to them now. It didn’t help that Peter briefly considered it, his eyes dropping to look at Wade’s mouth. Peter like any other healthy teenager didn’t like to admit it but his libido had all but disappeared in recent months. He hadn’t thought about kissing someone much less having sex since Gwen died. It hurt too much to even consider it. Peter didn’t even want to think about what it would mean if he considered to start dating again. There would be too many risks. He’s always known he was bi so it didn’t startle him to consider kissing Wade. Peter had eyes and scars aside, he knew that Wade’s powerful build wasn’t anything to blink at.

            However, he gave Wade a scandalized look and pulled back abruptly. “I’m seventeen. Remember?”

            The merc tensed and let his hand fall. “Damn it. I forgot.”

            Peter gave a small smile. “I’m…” _sorry_ poised on the tip of his tongue but for some reason, it didn’t seem right. None of this felt right and Peter’s heart was racing at the possibility that what he did have with Wade was ruined. For some reason that thought sat in his stomach and soured. “So? Uh, tacos while we continue our Harry Potter marathon?”

            Wade grinned, any sign of tension and seriousness gone as if they didn’t just have a nearly emotional moment. Peter couldn’t have been more relieved to see Wade usually confident and loud self. “I’m always in the mood for tacos. I’ll call it in.”

           

            Peter grew up watching the news like anybody else. When bad things happen, newscasters would give the details and express their grief about the horrors happening in the world but Peter never truly learned what was happening to the victims on the inside. What kind of damage the trauma had on their minds. He didn’t learn until the night that his uncle was shot down in front of him. In the heat of the moment there had been blind panic and denial. Random thoughts had flashed across his mind as he tried to understand what had happened. Once the initial shock had passed and grief had settled in, Peter only felt anger. Hot and coursing through him. He went through the motions. Sleep was hard to come by sometimes and then others he would sleep for days straight. His moods were always torn between guilt and anger and sorrow.

            _If I had stopped him…_

_If I hadn’t had the fight…_

_Why did I walk out…_

_I should have just…_

The thoughts ate away at him. He had expected all those things to settle in on him and his aunt as they tried to figure out how to live without Uncle Ben but he didn’t expect to be haunted with the replay of the events of that night. It was like he couldn’t stop himself. He couldn’t stop the way every time he closed his eyes, he could see himself in that convenience store and then on the street. He watched over and over and over as his uncle was murdered. It wasn’t until later that he realized that he was missing bits of what happened almost as if he had blacked out and no matter how many times he tried running it through his memory, he couldn’t recall those missing moments.

            He had tortured himself over it until eventually he threw himself into being Spider-Man. Slowly he stopped reliving it every time he closed his eyes…Then Captain Stacy died. He went through the same stages of grief, feeling guilt more than anything, but stomped it down before it could get out of hand. He hid it from everyone that he cared about but with the death of the police chief, something had shifted in Peter. He suddenly felt much older than just a sixteen year old boy. The weight of that responsibility, the weight of that death that was a direct consequence of his actions, bore down on his shoulders. How Gwen ever still loved him after that Peter would never fully understand.

            During the months following Gwen’s death, a sense of hopelessness had settled in and taken root in his heart. Being Spider-Man had left him with such a bad taste in his mouth and made his stomach roll if he even thought about putting on the suit. Slowly the increase in crime and hearing the talk about how people missed Spider-Man had given him enough strength to put on the suit…but he was careless. He got injured more and kept odd routines. He was moody and he couldn’t explain why. After two months, he had stopped crying and decided that he wouldn’t shed another tear for anything less than Gwen because she had deserved the world and he had ripped it from her. Maybe he was punishing himself for what happened but he was dealing with it the only way he knew how…and that’s exactly the reason why he ended up in his godfather’s care.

            After yet another bad nightmare that had him up at two in the morning, Peter was slowly beginning to realize that he was not as alright as he had led himself to believe. Shaking, he got up out of bed and stumbled out into the hall way. The dream was pretty much the same, but it still made him feel sick. He found himself in the kitchen pouring a glass of water and drinking it down all at once before refilling it again. He felt tired, weary even, but he didn’t want to go back to bed. He didn’t want to go back to that place in his head when he closed his eyes. He thought he was doing better.

            “Another nightmare?”

            Peter turned to look at Bucky. The super-soldier was, again, in a sleeveless shirt and mesh shorts. This time however, his feet were bare and his hair fell around his face like he had just gotten out of bed.

            “Uh…”

            “It doesn’t matter one way or another to me but I know a thing about nightmares.” He blinked at the man, watching him pluck the glass out of his hand to deposit it in the sink. “I lived one for almost a century.”

            “H-how do you deal with it?” Peter found himself asking.

            Bucky looked at him in such a way that Peter felt like the man was looking right through him. “Steve helps me…We help each other.”

            “Steve has nightmares?”

            “He has anxiety and flash backs but they aren’t noticeable to most.”

            “But to you.”

            The soldier nodded, moving around the kitchen and pulling things out of the cabinets. Peter moved to the corner by the over sized fridge to stay out of the man’s way. “Want to tell me about your nightmares?”

            For a long time Peter didn’t say anything because realistically he couldn’t tell any of them any details of his dreams without cluing them in on being Spider-Man. So finally he shrugged. “It’s nothing. Stupid even.”

            “I doubt that.” Bucky worked silently for some time, mixing together his ingredients in a pot over the burner. He didn’t say anymore as he poured the liquid into two coffee mugs, handing one to him. “Drink.”

            Peter sniffed at it cautiously, wondering if Bucky was about to poison him. It was a very real possibility that the man was fully capable of but he had no reason to hurt Peter. Not one that he knew of. So he took a sip and when the warm richness followed by the tang of lemon passed over his taste buds, Peter decided that he was glad he tried it. “This is delicious.”

            Bucky merely grunted, drinking his own and offering no explanation. They stood there for a moment longer before they heard sounds of movement. Steve appeared in the doorway a moment later, looking tired with the way he squinted in the light and his hair stuck up on the side and across the back of his head. “What’s going on?”

            “Peter, had another nightmare,” Bucky said this time.

            Steve’s frown deepened as he looked at Peter. “Again?”

            He shrugged unsure how to respond. “It’s nothing.”

            “What are you dreaming about?”

            He shook his head. “It’s nothing.”

            Steve watched him silently for a moment and Peter chose then to flee. He finished the rest of the drink and thanked Bucky. “I’m going to go back to bed. See you, uh, later.” He didn’t sleep for the rest of the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just want to thank everyone for reading and for your patience. Like I've said before I'm struggling with anxiety and it has caused some major writer's block but I am determined to see this story through. I'm too much in love with it. 
> 
> I'm going to take another two weeks but I hope to get back on track with weekly updates again soon. 
> 
> >>Next Update: July 24!


	9. A Warning Sign

Peter was seriously ready for Thanksgiving break. It was just month off now and he’d give anything to see his aunt again. The sleepless nights were really beginning to weight down on him and after another nightmare and awkward encounter with Bucky and Steve had Peter even more desperate to get away from the tower for a few days. A day hadn’t even passed since his talk with Bucky and he most certainly didn’t expect them to actually confront him about it when he returned home that same day. When he saw Steve, Bucky, and Tony there, all wearing pensive frowns, Peter got a really bad feeling.

            “Why are you wearing the ‘we need to have a talk’ face? Because I haven’t done anything…in like a week.”

            Steve’s frown deepened. “Why don’t you have a seat?”

            “No but thanks. I think I want to be standing for this.”

            Tony cleared his throat from where he leaned against the island counter. “Look, Peter. We, or more specifically me, after much discussion with the others here, have decided that to set you up an appointment with a doctor.”

            Peter’s heart skipped as his mind raced to try to figure out what the hell that meant. “A doctor?” he asked incredulously.

            “Yes, a psychiatrist.”

            “A _shrink_?” His voice may have pitched up an octave.

            Tony nodded. “Yes, I think it would be for the best.”

            “You…you can’t be serious. Why do I need a shrink?”

            “Because I think you are going through some things and you aren’t talking to us about it…”

            “So you think I’ll talk to a stranger? About my problems? No, thanks.” In truth he had had met with the school counselor after his uncle died and that hadn’t gone well.

            “Peter…”

            “No!” Peter snapped, feeling cornered. “You didn’t even ask me how I felt about this. I’m not doing it because there is nothing to talk about.”

            “Well, obviously there is if you are having regular nightmares. What else is going on that you aren’t telling us?” Tony barked right back.

            Peter drew himself up as Tony straightened and walked around the bar. “I don’t know why you are so damn curious. It’s not like I do drugs or drink alcohol.”

            “Your aunt told me that you are a good boy, but sometime after your uncle’s death you started coming home late, sometimes face bruised, and tired…I just want to understand. _Help me understand._ ”

             He could feel the beginning of an anxiety attack and he swallowed hard against the lump in his throat. He had to get out of here. Shaking his head, he began backing away and towards the elevator. He was fighting to control his breathing, to fight the urge to let his chest just heave. To just fall apart. It was all too sudden and unexpected.

            “Where do you think you are going?”

            “Leaving. I’m not going to some fucking shrink because you tell me to.” Peter snapped, his heart thundering in his chest.

            “No, you aren’t. Come on. We were just talking. What happened?”

            “Nothing,” Peter answered curtly as he reached the doors to the elevator.

            “Don’t you dare walk out of here, Peter.”

            He gave his godfather a cold look as he stepped into the lift. “I’m going to Flash’s.”

            The silence of the elevator was stifling but it gave him a moment to get his breathing under control before he had to step out onto the street. The walk to Flash’s was a blur but soon enough he found himself climbing into the teens bedroom window. Fortunately Flash was there, playing video games when he slipped in.

            “What are you doing here?” Flash asked, setting aside the controller.

            “Had a fight with Tony.”

            “You can’t catch a break.”

            “Tell me about it.” He set his thing at the foot of the bed and kicked off his shoes. “He wants me to see a psychiatrist.”

            “For real? What for?”

            Peter sank down on the floor next to the bed, drawing his knees to his chest. “I’ve been having nightmares…Bucky has caught me twice after one.”

            “Shit, I didn’t know that.” Flash moved crouch next to him. “What kind of nightmares?”

            He shrugged. “About Gwen.”

            “I’m sorry…I know she… But why?”

            Peter looked at Flash and remembered that no one knows the circumstances of her death. Not really. “I…it’s my fault she died.” Tears welled in his eyes and his voice sounded thick.

            “How?” Flash pressed quietly, hand on his shoulder.

            “She followed me into a fight with Electro and the Green Goblin. He took her and dropped her into the clock tower. I-I wasn’t fast enough…She died because of me.”

            Tears were falling in earnest now, breathing haggard and heavy. He sobbed into his arms, shuddering at the memories…the guilt. It all threatened to swallow him whole. He walked a fine line between wanting to quit it all but something in him just wouldn’t allow him to stop. He didn’t deserve to be Spider-Man but he just couldn’t put the damn costume away.

            He trembled until Flash pulled him closer and let him cry into his shoulder. He clung to other boy like a life line, grounding himself in his warmth. Something that was alive and real. Eventually the crying slowed and Flash pulled them onto the bed so they could lay down. Flash let Peter move away as embarrassment swamped him but kept one arm loosely thrown over his waist. Unlike last time they were facing each other and Flash spoke.

            “You know, our heroes spend all this time trying to protect us and keep the cities safe but who protects and keeps them safe when they need it? It’s okay, Peter. To cry and mourn for Gwen but she wouldn’t want you to blame yourself. She would want you to be happy.”

            “But…” His voice was hoarse and it wobbled.

            “No buts… Give yourself a little more time to grieve for her but then you have got to let it go.”

            “I don’t know if I can.” Peter admitted softly. He felt so painfully raw. Tears falling down his cheeks anew.  

            “Doesn’t matter. I’ll be there to help you.” Flash shifted to turn off the light and settled back down. “Come on, Hero. Even you super humans need their power naps.”

 

            Peter really didn’t want to go back to the tower so he spent the night at Flash’s, borrowing his clothes for the next day. It was so glaringly obvious that they saw a problem and that they wanted to talk to him about it and he so didn’t want to talk. He didn’t want to deal with this right now. From the moment he woke up, Peter had felt horrible. His eyes were gritty and swollen from the crying and his chest felt tight. It took awhile for it to all unwind enough that his apatite returned sometime after three in the afternoon. They went out for burgers after school and Peter was surprised when he saw Tony walk in just as they had finished eating. He paid for their meals before approaching their table and sliding into the empty seat next to Peter.

            “You haven’t answered any of my calls.”

            Peter looked pointedly at his drink. “Doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out I was trying to ignore you.”

            “I’m sorry, Flash, but I’m going to have to take your friend back home now.”

            Peter tried not to lash out in anger but it was very hard. Flash merely nodded and stood. “Sure, Mr. Stark. I understand. Later, Pete…uh, call me.”

            “Sure.”

            Without argument, Peter followed Tony out onto the street. They walked back towards the tower. Tony began talking again. “Look, Peter…”

            “What is it now? You think sending me to some counselor is going to solve all my problems? Well, it’s not.”

            “How do you know that if you don’t even try? You won’t talk to me or anyone else. Maybe talking to someone outside of the loop would help you and whatever you are going through.”

            “I know it won’t work because I went to counselors before when my uncle died,” Peter snapped, glaring at a couple who were obviously listening in. They looked away and moved on but it still left a sour taste in his mouth.

            “And they didn’t help? At all?”

            “No, they didn’t. They just wanted me to talk about what happened and I don’t want to talk about it.”

            Tony was silent for nearly a block until he asked, “what happened with your uncle, Peter?”

            He made miffed noise in the back of his throat. “Did you not just hear me say that I don’t want to talk about it? Besides don’t you already know every detail of that story?”

            “I know the police reports, the news, what your aunt told me. I do not know your side of it.”

            Peter felt far too raw to be having this kind of conversation with Tony. He felt the need to fight and be defensive quickly leaving him. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

            They lapsed into silence until Tony asked, “so are you at least talking to Flash about your…stuff?”

            “Yeah.”

            “Good. I can accept that. He seems like a good kid.”

            Peter snorted, thinking about how his opinion might change if he knew that Flash had tormented him through most of junior high and high school until recently. Tony threw his arm over Peter’s shoulders.

            “This Saturday there is a science convention. Would you like to go with me?”

            Peter stiffened in surprise, looking at his godfather. Tony was looking ahead, his posture relaxed and his face expressionless like he wasn’t expecting an answer either way. Peter found himself nodding.

            “Yeah. Sure.”

            A hint of a smile crossed Tony’s face. “Good. Let’s go home.”

 

            Peter hadn’t had much time to digest his feelings for Wade since their last encounter. A few days had passed and now sitting on the roof top next to the mercenary, he had to face   whatever it is that’s happening between them. Wade hadn’t said anything about what happened between them. Maybe Peter was reading too much in the situation but it already had the gears turning in his head. He liked hanging out with Deadpool. The guy was entertaining and easy to work with. The man seemed calmer than when Peter had first met him. He was easy to talk to. In a way that was different from Flash or Sam or his aunt. Peter could talk about being Spider-Man and he trusted Wade with that information. Probably more than he should.

            “You know some people just cannot take a compliment,” Wade was saying as he shoved another jalapeño popper in his mouth.

            “Yeah, that’s for sure…but I have a feeling you are talking about someone very specific.”

            “You can bet your cute underage tuckus that.” He hummed merrily, swinging his feet from where they dangled over the edge. “Wolverine is an example of such. That guy. He’s great. Like a brother from another very demented and twisted mother who snorted cocaine while pregnant with us. I told him one day, ‘My dear Canadian midget, you know dynamite comes in small packages’! He ruined my best suit with those talons of his.”

            Peter was rolling with laughter at Deadpool’s wide hand gestures. “Maybe calling him out on how short he is what did it.”

            “Yeah, whatever. The guy is too hairy for my tastes anyway… Oh! Look, Spidey.”

            Peter peered down and into the small courtyard. Some kids had gathered and were playing basketball. He watched them for a moment until Wade said. “Let’s go down there and join them. I bet it would make their day.”

            “I don’t know, Deadpool.” Peter continued, “I mean they are kids. What if they get scared seeing us or something?”

            “Trust me. I’ve had kids runaway screaming before but they aren’t going to if you are there.”

            “What makes you say that?”

            “Come on! You are the Spider-Man and all. The original and one and only. Everyone loves Spider-Man!”

            “Not the chief editor at the Daily Bugle.”

            “Well, that guy is a dickface.” Deadpool got to his feet, standing on the ledge and began waving his arms back and forth. “Hey! Kids! Up here! It’s Spider-Man!”

            Peter watched as the kids paused their game to look up and began waving back excitedly, calling out to them. Deadpool looked down at him with a smug expression evident beneath his mask.

            “See? They totally love you. Let’s go.”

            Wade didn’t leave Peter with any choice as he scaled down the side of the building and bounded over to the basketball court. He followed just because he didn’t want to leave Wade alone with children. Not that he didn’t trust the merc but it’s that he didn’t trust the merc with children.

            The kids ran to meet them, bouncing excitedly around them. Peter couldn’t help the smile that split his face as the brave ones shot questions at them. “Hey,” he interrupted them, “think you have room for two more for your game?”

            They looked stunned before they began arguing over who would be on whose team. Wade immediately knelt to join in the negotiations and Peter walked over to where the shy ones had hung back. He crouched next to them, lifting his mask to his nose and smiled. “Hi, I’m Spider-Man. What’s your name?”

            He managed to get the little boys names and got them to open up. Wade yelled for them to come over and play. Before Peter knew it he was wrapped up in a game of basketball, playing with Deadpool and a group of children. It was more genuine fun he had had in a long time. Him and Wade were on opposing teams and threw G-rated jabs at one another. The kids were incredible. None of them asked too many questions and just accepted their presence. Wade even pegged him in the head with the ball, causing Peter to swear suddenly.

            Wade cackled and pointed a finger at him. “Oooooo! Spider-Man said a wordy durd!” This made the kids laugh and mimic the behavior. One child stubbornly proclaimed, “Spidey, my mama says you have to wash your mouth out with soup when you say No-No words.”

            “I, uh….”

            “Don’t worry, little Tim.” Wade said as he sidled up next to Peter, throwing an arm over his shoulder. “I’ll make sure he washes out his mouth with soap when we get back to our superhero lair!”

            Peter weakly nodded until the kid looked satisfied. They were in a middle of another game when Peter heard the sirens. They all paused looking to the two red clad figures and Peter sighed, pulling down his mask.

            “I guess we got to go.”

            “We’ll be back!” Wade added before they headed out.

            Even though he wasn’t ready to deal with a car chase, he felt a little light hearted and remembered briefly why he was Spider-Man.

 

            Peter was working alone in Tony’s lab that night, designing new tech for Sam’s wings when he heard the door’s slide open. He glanced up, expecting to see Tony but instead he was greeted with the sight of none other than Dr. Bruce Banner. Peter blinked in surprise at the man who smiled calmly at Peter.

            “Hello. You must be Peter Parker, Tony’s godson.”

            Peter moved away from his work station to shake hands with the other member of the Avengers. “I am. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Dr. Banner.”

            “Please. Call me Bruce.”

            Peter grinned. “No problem.”

            “I see Tony isn’t here.”

            “Uh, no. Ms. Potts dragged him off a while ago. I’m just in here working on my own.”

            “Oh? Tony said you were a genius. What are you working on?”

            He flushed at the praise. His aunt called him a genius all the time but he just figured she was bias but to hear it from someone like Bruce was an entirely different matter. “Um, I’m working on Sam’s wing flexibility and safety features in the event of mechanical failure.”

            Bruce’s brows rose in interest. “That’s wonderful.”

            Peter shrugged, unsure how to respond. After Tony learned what he had been fully capable of, the man had taken him off of the computer work and set him to working on more hands on things. He’d already made several improvements to the Iron Man suit and had ideas for Clint, Natasha, and Bucky to improve their safety in the field. He showed Bruce some of his plans that he had laid out and made notes of his suggestions.

            “I like this stuff okay but I’m more interested in biology and chemistry and studies in those areas.”

            Bruce nodded, smiling. “I see but this is quite remarkable for a man your age.”

            “I just want to help people.”

            “There’s nothing wrong with that. I can see why Tony is so proud of you.”

            Now he really started at that. He wanted to ask what made Bruce say that but he merely smiled and said, “thank you.”

            “I’ll be here for a while maybe you can help me with some of my projects.”

            Peter’s smile stretched even wider. “I’d like to.”

 

 

“This has got to be the worst idea I have ever had,” Peter muttered as they pushed their way through the crowd. As an introvert this was not how he wanted to spend his Friday night. He got enough socializing with the city’s less than friendly citizens as Spider-Man. He didn’t want to do it as Peter Parker.

            “Again. You swing from buildings during your spare time and you think this is your worst?” Flash growled right back.

            They reached the front of the group of spectators. Peter tugged subconsciously at his hood, making sure it covered his face as he looked into the fighting ring. He cringed at the hard hit to the face the man took and how blood splattered across the mat. Looking around, Peter saw mostly shady figures here. Even in street clothes, him and Flash looked out of place. He wasn’t sure if it was their age, their soberness, or their clean looks but they didn’t belong here. Some of the men were side eying them for sure. Peter tried not to make eye contact in hopes of not drawing any unwanted attention.

            A few fights later, Peter heard the announcer call his last name. It was plain compared to the others who came up with actual fight names. He already had one alter ego name and he didn’t want to keep up with another. He pulled up the scarf he had tucked into his jacket and stepped up onto the stage. The guy they were pitting him against was a big burly man wearing cargo pants and a muscle shirt. Peter ignored the jeers thrown at him, most of them calling him out for his small size. He zeroed in on his opponent, watching the guy get arrogant. He didn’t appear at all threatened by Peter. That was okay because that was exactly what Peter was going to use against him.

            The referee, if he could really be called that, gave them the signal to start and quickly got out of the way. There were no rules as for what was a legal hit or not so when the guy charged him, Peter ducked beneath the punch and shoved the heel of his palm right into the bigger man’s chin. He fell like a ton of bricks as Peter got out of the way. There was a second of silence until the crowd broke out in raucous cheers. He was declared the winner and sent off the stage to wait for the next two fights. Peter returned to Flash who was grinning hugely.

            “Dude, that was awesome.”

            “Thanks.”

            “I hate to say it but don’t forget to take a hit from the guys coming up. You don’t want to seem too good.”

            Peter nodded. “I know. I just…”

            “Don’t like this. I know but it’s only temporary. Only until you are out from under the Avengers.”

            Peter sighed, pulling the clothe down so he could breathe even though the actual place didn’t smell that pleasant. Being here, in a place like this made Peter wonder if it was even worth hiding who he was. Sure Tony would probably be mad but how bad would it be? Perhaps that was reason enough to work harder at hiding who he was.

            He went through his next two fights, feigning tiredness and taking a hit or two. He pulled his own punches until he was ready to call it a night and knocked out the last guy just so he could get out of the place. He received mix reception when he took out the star guy but he wanted that prize money for his trouble. Peter had never seen that much money except for the times he’d stop bank robbers and returned the bag to the police. To know it was his? Well that certainly did encourage him somewhat to continue this fight for competition idea that Flash had.

            Once they were cleared of the building, Flash whistled. “Man, that was intense back there. What are you going to do with the prize money?”

            Peter shrugged. “I don’t know. Save it?”

            “Lame but whatever. You earned it.”

            “I think I might get an apartment after we graduated…Maybe I can keep doing this and you can move in with me…when you aren’t off doing army stuff.”

            Flash gave him a warm smile. “Thanks. I’d like that.”

            They continued walking, arguing about what they wanted to eat when Peter felt like they were being watched. He paused, looking around and up at the roof tops. He saw movement along one ledge. “Stay here,” he said lowly, taking off down the ally.

            The other teen shook his head, following. “No way. You aren’t leaving me alone here.”

            Peter huffed, allowing Flash to tail behind him up the fire escape. If it was who he thought it was, there wasn’t anything to worry about. Well, not much anyway. Peter helped Flash the rest of the way up when the fire escape stopped, getting them safely to the roof. Sure enough Peter spotted the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen. A quick glance told him that Flash also knew who they were looking at and was equally awed by Daredevil.

            “I’m guessing you are letting more people in on your secret, Spider-Man.”

            “Yeah, well, you know how it goes.” Peter replied stepping closer.

            Flash hissed, “Dude, he knows who you are?”

            Peter shook his head. “No, Daredevil is blind…or at least I think he is.”

            “Then how did…?”

            Peter glanced back at the other vigilante, literally feeling the waves of annoyance from over here. “He probably sniffed me out. Look there’s a reason they call him ‘devil’. He’s not the friendliest guy.” Flash seemed satisfied with that and allowed Peter to walk away. When he was within a few feet of Daredevil, he asked, “So what’s up? How is Hell’s Kitchen? I’m sure everything is going well?”

            “Knock it off, Spider-Man. I have news on Sniegoski.”

            Peter leaned forward eagerly. “I’ll take all the help I can get.”

            “Well, to start off with the man has a special task force comprised of only mutants. There is ten of them, ranging in abilities. I heard you’ve already encounter two of them.”

            “Yeah…Any other good news?” Peter asked weakly.

            “Afraid so. Apparently he’s organizing an auction.”

            “What kind of auction.”

            “Human.” Daredevil said more softly than Peter had ever thought the man was capable of. “It’s being held at a tycoon’s mansion next weekend.”

            Peter ran a hand through his hair, trying to fight off frustration. He glanced back at Flash and saw the pinched look of worry and shock. Probably at their discussion topic. Peter felt his own stomach twist in disgust at the thought of people being involved in such away. Taking a deep breath, he turned back to Daredevil.

            “Thank you for seeking me out.”

            “I want to work with you on this one.”

            “Really? You know Deadpool is on this too, right?”

            “Yes, I know. Just be sure that he knows not to grate on my nerves.”

            “Understood. Uh, do you want to trade cell phone numbers or…?”

            The masked vigilante withdrew something from his pocket and pressed the card into Peter’s hand. “Call me tomorrow. We’ll begin working then.”

            “Yes, sir.”

            Daredevil actually seemed to hesitate before moving closer, a hand coming to rest on Peter’s shoulder. His voice dropped to barely above a whisper. “Look, Spider-Man, I don’t like you working on this period…I know you are too young to be doing any kind of work like this.”

            “Wait, how do you know I’m young?”

            Peter didn’t need to be able to see his face to know he was giving him a barely patient look. “Anyone can figure it out if they are looking for it. Now. Are you sure you aren’t in over your head in this?”

            He sighed before nodding. “I’m fine. I know many don’t like him but Deadpool is a nice guy. I trust him.”

            Daredevil leaned back and stepped away. “I hope that trust isn’t misplaced for your sake. I really do.”

            He watched the other vigilante leave, thinking to himself. _Me too._

 

            The next morning, Peter found himself dressed in a nice pair of jeans, a button up, and a nice jacket. While it was any other convention, he would be tagging along with the Tony Stark and knew he had to dress the part. He might be at odds with his godfather at times but he didn’t want to make the man look bad or anything. Honestly, he was excited about getting to go the con. He had been meaning to go for years but since he became Spider-Man, Peter had spent all of his spare time stopping crime instead. Getting to go with one of the leading tech builders in the world was definitely a bonus.

            Tony drove them to the convention, getting to skip the lines and hassle. The building was packed with booths and shows displaying the latest gadgets and developments. Tony was stopped frequently to speak to other persons of interest. Peter was patient, usually wondering off to a booth to read pamphlets and listen to the promotions as they gushed about their products. Peter really enjoyed the learning about the new tech coming out for people with specific disabilities and proposals for greener energy. He glanced back at Tony who was looking a little annoyed. Peter supposed it was someone trying to get funding or something of that nature. He moseyed on, stopping when he spotted a table from Oscorp.

            Frowning he approached the long table to see what was going on. A woman smiled brightly at him.

            “Hello, would you like to hear about Oscorp’s latest developments in medical technology?”

            “Medical?” Peter questioned, frowning.

            “Oh, yes! Oscorp is pathing the way in medical advancements for the common citizen.” She went on, her speech sounding rehearsed. “We are currently developing a multitude of nano technology. For example, let’s say you broke your leg. Normally it would take weeks or more for a bad break to heal fully and even after the bone is weaken. With nanobots designed for this specific purpose, we can accelerate the healing time in having the nano organisms heal you from the inside on a cellular level in less than an hour!”

            She paused, smiling grandly, obviously waiting for some sort of excited reply. Peter nodded in return. “Fascinating. Now are these nanos organic? Or mechanical?”

            “Those used for accelerated healing will be organic. Of course this is just in the blue print phase. Would you like to hear about our other developments that are closer to completion?”

            “Yes, I’d love to.”

            “Of course.” She lifted a pad, opening a series of images and handed it to Peter. He looked, seeing something that looked like armor. It was thin and obviously pliable. As he looked she continued to talk. “Here we have optimized the use of our nanofibers in creating the perfect bullet proof vest. At Oscorp we take the safety of everyone into consideration, including our police officers. With the growing threats of mutants and crime we wish to develop technologies to help aid our men and ladies in blue.”

            Peter looked up at her sharply, handing the pad back over to her. “Why? Crime is at an all-time low and there have been very few incidents with mutants.”

            She seemed surprised by his question. Good, he thought to himself because this was sounding suspicious to him. Maybe it was his bad history with the company but nothing good could come of it. He couldn’t help but deal with this information with caution.

            “Oh, it is a precaution in the event should something happen. Rather be safe than sorry.”

            Someone cleared their throat behind Peter and he turned to see Tony standing there with a contempt look on his face. “Says the country who is actually gearing for war.”

            “Excuse me, Mr. Stark?” She smiled dumbly.

            “Nothing. Peter, are you ready to go?”

            “Uh, sure.”

            He followed his godfather out the place and to where their car had been parked without any incident. He could tell that the man was tense. Once they were in the car and on the road did Peter ask, “is there something wrong?”

            “Just the same crap.” Tony sighed. “Hammer Industries said the same thing to justify their developments in weaponry.”

            “You don’t think it’s a coincidence?”

            Tony gave him a sidelong glance. “What? Oscorp and HI are working together? No, it’s just the newest fad among the science world.”

            He was silent for a moment before he asked, “what did you mean by ‘gearing for war’?”

            The older man shook his head. “It’s politics. What do you think of it, Peter?”

            Peter thought about for a moment or at least made a show of it because he had already come to a conclusion while he was in the convention center.

            “I think it sounds like Oscorp wouldn’t be developing really expensive military grade vests for the police if they didn’t think they’d make an easy profit…Do you think they know something?”

            “It’s possible. It’s no secret that the people at Oscorp and HI are nothing but money hungry dogs…Let’s not talk about this. I know this great burger place. Are you hungry?”

            Peter smiled. “I could always eat.” He pushed away the troublesome thoughts for him to digest later. Right now he just wanted to focus on Tony. Maybe he can work in his good graces and finish out his sentence that he had in relative peace.

            They arrived at a small diner that was seat yourself kind of place. Tony led him to a booth tucked in the back out of view of the main entrance right next to the kitchen. The waitress came over with a smile, seeming unbothered by Tony sitting at her table. They ordered waters and were left to look at the menus. Peter was silent as he decided on a burger and fries. Only after she had returned with their drinks and took their orders did Tony start talking again.

            “How are you adjusting to living in the tower, Peter?”

            “Fine. I guess.” He answered lamely.

            “I’m proud of you, Peter.”

            His eyes flew up to meet Tony’s dark ones, his breath hitching. “What?”

             Something soft filtered across the older man’s face. “You remind me so much of your father.”

            “Everyone keeps saying that,” Peter replied softly.

            “Perhaps. I know how hard it can be to try to fill the shoes your old man left behind. At some point I realized that I needed to stop trying to be Howard Stark and that I needed to be Tony. I became Iron Man.”

            Peter didn’t respond. He just watched Tony earnestly, waiting to hear what he had to say next. He wasn’t disappointed. “Do you know how I knew your father?”

            Peter shook his head. “Not really.”

            “I met Richard in college. Shortly after my father died. He helped me work through my…issues. He was so passionate about his studies and he had so much hope for the future. Before I knew it we were best friends. Life took us down separate paths. He met your mother at one of my parties. Married her within the year. Then a few years later I get a phone call. He told me that his wife just gave birth to the most beautiful little boy and that his name was Peter Benjamin Parker… He asked me if I would be your godfather. I said yes without hesitation.”

            Tony looked down, his fingers messing with a napkin sitting on the table. Peter tracked the movement, his heart racing at hearing this. He had never known the details and he suddenly realized that Tony might know more of his father than his aunt did. Peter had no idea how should feel about that. Tony took in a shaky breath and continued.

            “I remember the first time I met you. At just six months old you were so quiet and content. The entire week I stayed with your parents, you never cried. Never got upset. You would just look up at whoever was holding you and just giggle. Your parents…they were amazing with you.”

            “My aunt has told me that…”

            Tony smiled, wide and genuine. “I remember your father had watched some documentary on TV the night before your mother took you to the doctor to get your shots. It was about the dangers of vaccines and those mercury shots. He had called the office without telling her and told the doctors that they would be spacing out your shots. Your mother had been so annoyed with him for not consulting her first.”

            Peter felt his own smile cross his face as he leaned forward eagerly. He had never heard this story before and Tony went on, telling him about his parents and him as a baby. He didn’t stop even after their food was brought to them. Peter listened, asking questions between bites.

            They were nearly finished eating, the conversation having made all sorts of turns when Tony finally said, “How I found out about your parents was through the news…No one really knew of our friendship. When I saw that a little boy wasn’t in the crash…I had to find you and I did. You were already living with your aunt and uncle. You…you were wearing your father’s jacket and I could tell losing your parents was hard on you but you still smiled at me and wiped my tears and said that everything was going to be okay. I was stranger to you and it was then I knew you would grow into a remarkable young man.”

            Peter stared at his godfather in shock, completely blindsided by the emotion in the man’s voice. He felt a tear slip down his face and quickly moved to wipe it away. He inhaled brokenly and looked away. It never occurred to him that Tony might have had more of relationship with his family. Now Tony was opening up to him in a way he had never dreamed of. The man he had idolized for his scientific advancements and technology was telling him that he missed Peter’s dad as much as Peter did.

            “Come on.” Tony said suddenly, standing from his seat. “Let’s go see what kind of trouble we can get into.”

            Peter smiled, following the man. They ended up in an empty arcade after ice creams, trying to beat each other scores.

           

            A shiver wracked his body from where he perched on the ledge of the building. He liked autumn. Really, he did but the Spider-Man suit did very little to protect him from the cold. Peter listened to Wade talk patiently, while silently wishing that he had brought a jacket. They were waiting for Daredevil to make a show so they could hash out their plans for next Saturday. Keeping busy helped him forget about everything going on with Tony and the others. He still felt a little thrown over the talk he had with Tony just the day before but at the same time it felt like progress.

            Daredevil jumped onto the roof with ease and walked towards them. Deadpool jumped to his feet, jeering, “the red team is united once again.”

            Peter snorted. “Deadpool, this is our first time actually working together.”

            “That you know of.”

            “We are here to talk about Friday. Deadpool, are you going to take this seriously or not?” Daredevil crossed his arms over his chest and if not for the mask, Peter was pretty sure he was glaring at them.

            “Gee, I need to give you Wolverine’s number. You two would get along great.”

            “Don’t mind Deadpool,” Peter added, patting Wade on the arm. “He wants to be a part of this and he’ll get the job done when the time comes.”

            Daredevil made a skeptical noise before saying, “The auction is being held at the mansion of Kristopher Moulton.”

            “The guy who made billions for that thing that made oil field work safer?” Deadpool asked, his voice turning sharp with interest.

            “The same.”

            “He’s dealing in human trafficking?”

            “Among other things. Now here are the floor plans of his place.” Daredevil pulled out some papers and before Peter knew it they were all gathered around looking at the structure of the house. “There is a secret room right off the basement. I think there is a tunnel access from the water. I think that’s how they get the…merchandise into the house without coming through the front gate.”

            “So we just intersect the delivery before the auction and get kids and get the hell out.”

            Peter shook his head. “People will be there _buying_ humans. They will be influential people. We need to catch them in the act. Get them arrested.”

            “I know some of the people on the guest list,” Daredevil said, “and many of them aren’t going to see a day in court.”

            “Then we can ruin their name right?” Peter suggested, looking between the two older men as his mind raced to come with a plan that would save the victims and get the bad guys. “Look what if I went undercover and sneaked into the party.”

            “You are too young,” Daredevil and Deadpool said at the same exact time, in clear objection to the idea.

            Peter jerked back as the two men looked at each other. “Okay. Wow. Not cool. From either of you. Fine. Daredevil, you go in with me. We can watch through the auction, take pictures and get audio as proof and then we slip away, get into costume and rescue the victims. Deadpool can get into position in the tunnel to make sure no one can escape that way.”

            The two men frown, thinking it over. Deadpool said, “It could work but the question is do we really want to put the people through anymore trauma than necessary?”

            Peter’s heart sank at the idea and Daredevil shook his head. “No, but maybe we don’t need to wait for all them to go through. If we can just get evidence that the people present are aware of the type of auction it is that ought to be enough for any news station or journalist to tear the whole thing apart.”

            “I got the tech that we can sneak in,” Peter added, subdued.

            Daredevil nodded. “We just need clear shots of the people and the event going on and the audio so no one can question the authenticity.”

            Peter swallowed hard, suddenly questioning his ability to do this. He had dealt with a lot of things but never something like this and it was making him nervous. He saw how Daredevil cocked his head to the side and looked in Peter direction. “Are you okay, Spider-Man?”

            “I-I’m fine.” He cleared his throat. “How are we going to get on the guest list?”

            “Leave that to me.”

            They eventually parted ways after hammering out a few more of the details. This time Wade would be allowed to bring his guns but he was strictly ordered by Peter that he was to aim to maim not kill. The operation would be time sensitive and had factors of innocent lives at risk and it was necessary to ensure their safety first and foremost. It didn’t help that he had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach about all of this.

            Peter smiled at the cute girl with thick rimmed glasses as he helped her lift the display they had been working on for the Homecoming dance. He had been having a really great day since Tony had let the entire shrink thing go but he still needed a distraction from this upcoming weekend. So he had readily agreed to help his classmate, Sara, when she had approached him about staying after school to help her get a few things done on Wednesday. She returned his grin as they looked at their handiwork.

            His spidey-senses flared but he let the basketball clip the back of his head. If he hadn’t it would have sailed right into their display and ruined the still wet paint. He turned around to see the basketball players snicker and point at him. He spotted Flash standing off to the side, no hint of a smile on his face and his arms crossed over his chest. They met eyes briefly and Flash sighed, walking over to get the ball. Peter didn’t miss the darkened looks when Flash didn’t do anything to Peter as he walked by.

            One of the players that he recognized as one of Flash’s old friends scoffed. “I guess we’ll need to tell Liz that Flash won’t be going to the Homecoming dance with her.”

            Peter saw the way Flash stilled and they both turned to meet the other teens’ glares. “Oh yeah? Who am I going to the dance with then, Brad?”

            Brad smirked. “Come on. Don’t hide it. Why else would you be hanging out with that freak, Parker, if you weren’t fucking him?”

            Flash lunged forward, his face twisted in anger. Peter was faster, grabbing the other teen by the arm and held him back.

            “Not worth it,” he hissed as Flash struggled against his hold.

            “Let me teach the fucker,” Flash bit out, his eyes intent on the other players. “Someone needs to teach him that he can’t say whatever the fuck he likes.”

            “Flash¾”

            “I guess Stacy wasn’t enough for you, Parker.”

            Anger coursed through Peter and the next thing he knew he was shoving his fist into the other student’s face. He immediately regretted it, but the damage was done and he found himself in a middle of a school fight with Flash at his side. He would have laughed at the irony but right now he was too concerned with making sure no one got seriously hurt. He took a couple of hits but he was mostly acting as a shield for Flash, pushing and pulling guys off his friend until the fight lost its steam as the coaches broke them up.

            They were hauled off to the principal’s office without a word by an angry looking teacher. Peter was kicking himself as they were shoved onto a bench in the hallway to await their punishment. The players involved in the fight went in first. He groaned as he let his head fall back against the wall. He dreaded to know how much trouble he was going to be in. Flash nudged him.

            “For the record you threw the first punch.”

            Peter snorted. “Don’t remind me.”

            “Shit, man,” Flash went on. “That was cool though. You should’ve seen the looks on everyone’s faces when you hit Brad.”

            He glanced at Flash, seeing a bruise starting swell along his cheek. Peter could feel the same happening to him. At least they didn’t have any blood. “I shouldn’t have.”

            “Dude, the asshole deserved it.”

            “Still. I have a responsibility¾”

            “You aren’t Spider-Man here. Let it go.”

            The secretary chose that moment to poke her head out. “Mr. Thompson, Mr. Parker, I am unable to contact your father and your aunt.”

            “Oh, uh, my aunt isn’t in town.” Peter answered automatically.

            “Is there someone else we can call?”

            “Yeah,” Peter replied cringing.

            “Mr. Thompson?”

            “There’s no one else,” Flash answered, looking away.

            Peter stood and walked up to the secretary. “Is it alright if my guardian handles Flash too. His dad isn’t able to come today.”

            She seemed to hesitate before nodding. “Very well. We’ll speak with your…?”

            “Godfather.”

            She led him into the office and handed him the phone. Taking a deep breath, he dialed Tony’s cell.

            “Hello, Mr. Stark is unable to come to the phone right now,” JARVIS answered automatically. “May I take a message?”

            “JARVIS, this is Peter.”

            “Hello, Mr. Parker. Sir is in a meeting right now. Is there something that you need?”

            “Is, um, Pepper available?”

            “She is in the same meeting.”

            He bit back a groan. “Is there anyone available?”

            “Mr. Rogers is in the gym right now. Would you like me to switch the call to his cell?”

            “Please.” Peter glance at the secretary, seeing her frown at him. He resisted rolling his eyes.

            A moment later, Steve was on line. “Hello?”

            “Hey, Steve,” Peter replied weakly.

            “Peter, what’s wrong?”

            “I, uh, I’m in the principal’s office. Look you talk to the secretary here, please.”

            “Okay.”

            Peter handed over the phone and chewed on his lip as he listened to the conversation. He could pick up Steve’s voice thanks to his enhanced hearing. Part of him wished he couldn’t hear either side of this conversation. She explained to him what was happening and Steve’s replies were clipped and formal, promising that he would be there shortly to represent the two teens. He was quickly dismissed after that.

            Peter sat back down next to Flash. “Steve is coming to get us.”

            Flash groaned this time. “Oh man. Captain America is coming to talk to our principal.”

            “Could be worse.”

            “How?”

            “Could be Iron Man.”

            “Dude, shut up.”

            They didn’t have to wait long. Just as the others’ mothers had shown up, Steve had walked in. The man towered over everyone, taking up the hallway in a way that had both Peter and Flash sinking in their seats. Steve walked over to them with a frown on his face to stand in front of them.

            “Fighting in school?”

            Peter shrugged. “They started it?”

            Steve shook his head. “Tell me what happened.”

            Flash jumped in then. “Brad threw the basketball and hit Peter in the back of the head.”

            Steve’s eyes narrowed and reached for Peter. He submitted to Steve burying his finger’s in Peter’s hair, searching gently for any wounds. He flinched when he pressed against a sensitive spot.

            “You have a knot back there. Did the school nurse check you out?”

            Peter shook his head. “No, they just brought us here and left.”

            “I see. Then what happened?”

            “They started talking smack. Egging us on. I…just lost my temper.” Peter admitted quietly.

            Steve nodded and moved his hand to Peter’s shoulder. “Come on. I’m not waiting any longer.”

            They filed into the office, ignoring the secretary who was trying to tell them that they couldn’t go back yet. Steve strolled into the principal’s office, undeterred. The three basketball players, their mothers and the principal turned to look at them. The principal stood, anger flashing across his features.

            “You can go wait outside.”

            “I don’t think so,” Steve replied coolly, commanding the attention of everyone in the room. “I am Steve Rogers.”

            The man’s eyes widened as he recognized the name. In fact, everyone did and Peter bit his lip, knowing this was going to spread like wild fire through the school. “I…I…Mr, Rogers¾”

            “Do you want to explain to me why my best friend’s godson was not taken immediately to the nurse after a head injury?”

            “Head injury?”

            “Yes, one of these young men hit Peter in the head with a basketball.”

            “I wasn’t made aware.”

            “Right, because no one has bothered to talk to Peter or Flash about the incident before I showed up. Now, Mr… Swindle, what are you going to do?

            “I’m proposing two-week suspension for Mr. Thompson and Mr. Parker.”

            Peter glanced at Flash who was looking a little pale. He was sure that he wasn’t looking that much better. Steve seemed to straighten even more. “And for the others?”

            “Well, that’s a private affair…”

            “How about this,” Steve interrupted. “Because I do believe the boys should all be held accountable for their actions, how about one-week suspension and they are allowed to stay caught up on class work and grades.”

            “Well, Mr. Parker started the fight and should…”

            “Peter was defending himself, Principal Swindle. My boy is not a bully. You know I do not like bullies. Lord, knows I’ve socked Adolf Hitler in the face more times than I can count. Now if those terms are not negotiable then I’ll be sure to have Mr. Stark call his lawyers.”

            Peter watched the man flounder before snapping, “fine! Everyone gets one week but anymore trouble out of any of you, I won’t be so lenient.”

            Steve didn’t wait a second longer to usher the two teens out of the school. Apparently Steve ran here since they began walking towards Flash’s house. Peter kept glancing at the big man in front of them before looking at Flash and saw his face drawn in tight worried lines. They didn’t talk but Peter got the feeling that Flash’s dad was actually home. Now concern of a different caliber began to gnaw at Peter’s insides.

            “Steve…?”

            “Not now, Peter,” Steve replied curtly, not looking at him. That felt like a kick to the gut worse than he had ever experienced before.

            “Please, Steve. I…I just need to say something.”

            “What?”

            Peter stopped, looking at Flash. “Can you give us a moment?”

            His friend frowned at him before nodding and walking away. Once Peter felt like he was out of hearing range, he turned to Steve.

            “You can’t tell his dad what happened today,” Peter said.

            Steve’s frown deepened. “Why not? The man needs to know when his son gets in trouble.”

            “You…you just can’t. Please, Steve. It was my fault. Not his. You have got to listen to me. You can’t let his dad know what happened today.”

            Steve gave him a long look, his eyes flicking to the other teen who was leaning against a street pole, texting on his phone. “Peter, what’s going on?”

            Peter swallowed hard. “I can’t tell you…but you gotta trust me. Don’t say anything. _Please._ ”

            The super-soldier sighed heavily. “Okay. Fine.”

            By the time they returned to the tower, whatever meeting Tony and Pepper had been in was over and they had a spread of take out on the counter. Peter shared a look with Steve, knowing his fate was in the man’s hands. Before proper greeting could be made, Steve announced, “Peter is suspended for the next week from school.”

            Tony stilled from where he had been pulling a glass from the cabinet. “Excuse me?”

            Pepper looked at them worriedly. “What happened?”

            “School fight.” Steve replied.

            Tony gave them a long look. “Why are you fighting at school?”

            Peter shrugged. “The guy had it coming.”

            “That’s bull and you know it. Peter…”

            Pepper interrupted, placing a hand on Tony’s arm. “Why don’t we talk about it after we eat. Everyone is tired and it’s been a long day. The meal was silent save for the occasional small talk between the adults. No one asked questions about the fight, thankfully. He was annoyed by what happened and not because of the other guys but because of himself. He wouldn’t be in the mess if he hadn’t lost his temper in that way. Eventually, he got tired of sitting there and got up from the table to take his dishes to the sink.

            Steve called out, “Are you done? You didn’t eat very much.”

            Peter tried not to roll his eyes as he replied, “I’m not that hungry.”

            The super-soldier was hot on his heels then. “Well, if that’s the case why don’t you come with me to the gym?”

            “No, thanks.”

            Steve just grinned. “I was asking to be nice but now I’m just telling you. Follow me.”

            Peter didn’t miss the suspicious glare that Tony gave them on their way out. He so didn’t want to talk but Steve was just as bad as Sam about getting people to open up to him. He was sure he wouldn’t last very long if Steve began questioning him.

            Once in the gym, Steve walked over to some storage cabinets along the wall and pulled out a pair of boxing gloves. He pressed them into Peter’s hands. “Put them on.”

            His brows drew together in confusion but did as he was told and followed Steve over to the punching bag. The adult moved behind it, holding it in place, and nodded to Peter. “Go on. Hit it.”

            “Why?”

            “Just do it. Trust me.”

            Peter gave Steve a long look, trying to see the point of this. He thought they were coming down here to talk not to actually work out. Steve gave him a patient look like he’d wait here all night if he had to but Peter didn’t have that kind of resolve. So he brought up his gloved hands, adjusted his position, and struck the bag…lamely. It was totally awkward and weak. Partly because he didn’t treat it seriously. He could hit. He had enough practice over two years. He looked at Steve to see a small smile.

            “You can hit harder than that. Again.”

            Peter tried again, straightening his punch and putting a little more effort into it. He alternated between arms, pulling his punches like always. At first he was embarrassed by having Steve watch him but after a moment and thanks to the man’s urging Peter fell into a rhythm and lost himself in taking out all of his frustrations out on the bag. He felt sweat break out along his brow and his breathing got heavy so only then did he stop. Steve was still grinning at him.

            “Do you feel better?”

            “Yeah.” Peter replied breathlessly.

            “Good,” Steve replied, sounding pleased with himself. He walked over to the fridge that they had in the gym and pulled out a water and handed it to Peter who had taken off his gloves. They moved to sit on a bench while Peter rested and rehydrated.

            “Thanks,” he said quietly.

            Steve took a deep breath, staring out ahead of him. “You know, Peter. I was quite the restless kid when I was your age.”

            “You? I find that hard to believe.”

            “Me and Buck…we grew up during the depression but we were already living on the streets before the economy collapsed. I was always looking for a fight.”

            “Did you get bullied a lot?” Peter found himself asking.

            “Yeah, I was quite the little guy…Do you have a problem with bullies, Peter? I mean other than what happened today?”

            He bit his lip and shrugged. In a way every villain he went up against felt like a bully to him most days just simply because of their own selfish intentions. Apparently he took too long to answer because Steve spoke again.

            “Flash didn’t go to the hospital that night because of a mugger didn’t he, Peter?”

            Peter gaped at Steve, unsure how to respond. “What…”

            “Does Flash’s dad hurt him?” Steve continued softly.

            “Steve, I can’t…”

            “You can’t say anything. Did Flash ask you not to?”

            “Yeah,” Peter admitted weakly.

            “Has Mr. Thompson hurt Flash since then?”

            “I don’t think so. Please don’t say anything, Steve. You can’t.”

            Peter gave Steve a pleading look, silently begging. “This puts me in a difficult position.”

            “I know. Please, Steve.”

            “Fine.” Steve agreed after a moment. “I won’t tell anybody but I want to speak to Flash one on one. Tell him to come by tomorrow morning. He can go running with us.”

            Peter actually felt a smile sneak on his face as he relaxed. “Thank you.”

            “So this bully…”

            “I regret, Steve. I really do. But this guy said something that I just couldn’t let go…”

            “What you need to do his kick his ass.”

            Peter sat up straighter, turning to see Tony leaning by the door. His godfather pushed off the wall and walked over, claiming the spot on Peter’s other side. “If you have someone that’s bullying you, just knock him on his ass. I’m supposing that’s what happened today, right?”

            “Tony,” Steve began warningly, “violence isn’t the answer.”

            “Say what you want, _Mr. I like to hit bullies with my shield at my job._ ”

            Peter snorted lightly and Tony turned back to him. “You didn’t really start the fight, right?”

            “No, I didn’t want to or mean to.”

            “Good.”

            “Does this mean I’m not going to be grounded?”

            Tony sighed. “You are under probation.”

            “And you need to write apology letters to everyone,” Steve added.

            Peter grimaced but nodded in agreement.

            Steve had stood to return the equipment to the storage unit and Tony squeezed his shoulder. “I’m here for you, Peter. No matter what.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow! I'm sorry if this chapter seems a little disjointed but we are moving along at a nice pace. ^.^
> 
> The support has been so amazing. I can't thank my readers enough. I've been dealing with some personal issues but I'm getting help. The awesome feedback and long thoughtful comments have actually saw me through this horrid writer's block bout I've had. I hope to pick things up now that I am feeling better. 
> 
> Also an important note: as I am writing I am always concerned about the well being of my readers. So starting with chapter ten I will be including warnings at the beginning of every chapter. If you have any issues or concerns please tell me. I'm willing to work with you if this is a concern. I just do not wish spoil anything for my readers as I'm trying to tell this story.
> 
> I repeat if you have any concerns or worries please tell me. You can message me here or on my Tumblr. 
> 
> Next Update: August 7th!!!


	10. No Going Back Now

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: there is violence and dealings with human trafficking 
> 
> Read with care
> 
> I hope you enjoy <3

“Oh man. Oh man,” Flash muttered beneath his breath as they waited out on the street for the others to show up. Peter just gave him an apologetic look and patted his arm sympathetically. He had called Flash early this morning and told him what happened last night between him and Steve. He had told Flash that Steve had figured out his home situation and wanted to talk to him about it. Naturally the other teen was nervous and now they would be running with two super soldiers and the Falcon. The sun was up now, the morning rush having already passed. Since they didn’t have to go to school, they had gotten to sleep in.

            “It’s going to be okay,” he said, trying to soothe his friend.

            “Says you! You hang out with these people all the time. Captain America is about to talk to me about how my father is a dick. How am I going to get out of this alive?”

            Peter gave Flash an earnest smile. “Cap won’t let anything bad happen, okay? He just wants to be sure that you are safe and well.”

            “Should I tell him that Spider-Man has already given my old man the fist to face talk?”

            He blushed, looking away then, because he wasn’t proud of what he did. “I don’t regret it.”

            Flash scoffed, tugging at the strings on his hoodie. “I didn’t sign up for this.”

            “Not so cool having a superhero friend, huh?”

            “No, that’s fine. It’s the fact that his godfather is freaking Iron Man who is apparently besties with Captain America and they all live under the same roof as you and don’t know how to stay in their lane.”

            “Who doesn’t know how to stay in their lane?” Someone asked from behind them, causing both boys to jump and turn around. Sam was wearing a shit-eating grin, his eyes dancing mischievously.

            “Uh, asshole drivers…”

            “Smooth, Parker.”

            Sam just laughed and clapped both of them on the shoulder. “I heard you guys got into a fight at school…So who won?”

            Flash crossed his arms over his chest, smirking. “We did, of course. Didn’t we, Peter?”

            He rolled his eyes. “Sure. Whatever you say.”

            “You know, back when I was in high school I got into a scuffle once.” Sam said, “you should’ve seen the guy. A big dude that kept knocking over my lunch tray. I clocked the son of a…”

            “Sam,” Steve interjected as him and Bucky stepped out of the building. “Please don’t encourage them to fight. I’ve already had to tell Tony to lay off.”

            “Hey, they are teenage boys. They are going to get into a few fights.”

            Steve gave his friend a patient smile. “At least don’t encourage them.” He turned to Peter and Flash, the smile slipping a bit. “Good morning, Flash. Are you up for a run?”

            “As long as you don’t expect me to keep up with you then yeah.”

            “Good. You can set the pace.”

            “Oh. Wow. Okay.”

            They began at a light jog, heading straight towards the park. Peter stayed beside Flash, matching his breathing. They made it a few miles before the other teen began to show any sign of tiring. That’s when they decided to head back, Sam grumbling about how the super-soldiers weren’t showing off around Flash. When they returned to the penthouse, Steve paused and looked at Flash.

            “Flash, I would like to have a word with you. Do you mind?”

            His friend looked ready to object but nodded anyway and shot Peter a pleading look. Peter could just shrug his shoulders and said, “Come to my room when you guys are done.”

            He took a quick shower and paced the length of his room, worry gnawing at his stomach. He wasn’t worried about Flash ratting him out to Steve about being Spider-Man. Peter was just worried about what Steve was saying to Flash and how Flash was handling it. Ultimately the worst case scenario would be that Flash ended up in foster care or something. Peter knew it was probably safer but it wasn’t what Flash wanted…He tormented himself over what was the right thing to do and letting Flash go home was one of the hardest decisions Peter had to make. He wondered what Steve would decide to do.

            There was a small knock on his door and Flash let himself into his room. He leaned against the door, heaving a sigh of relief, before fixing Peter with a dark look. “You. I blame you for everything.”

            Peter wrung his hands as he grimaced. “How bad was it?”

            “Never in my entire life would I have thought that Captain America would be giving me the man-to-man talk. He asked if I was okay living with my dad and made me promise that if anything happened I was to call the cops or come to him…And he said that he was going to be keeping an eye on me.”

            Flash stomped over to Peter’s bed and flopped down on it. “I can’t believe this is my life. Oh and he wants me coming here every day during school hours while we are suspended.”

            “I’m sorry,” Peter said, sitting next to his friend. “I never meant for this to happen.”

            Flash waved him off. “Don’t worry about it. I know. I think I’d rather deal with Captain America than your aunt.”

            “Is Steve going to say anything?”

            “I don’t think so? He said that he wouldn’t.”

            A few moments later, Tony came knocking on his door. “Come on, guys. We are heading to the school to get your homework so you guys don’t fall behind. Flash, I heard you’ll be coming over every day.”

            “Yes, sir…To, uh, study together.”

            “That’s fine. At least while you guys are in the tower I know you are staying out of trouble.”

            “I’m not that bad,” Peter grumbled as he walked pass his godfather.

           

            He thought for sure he would get into a lot more trouble with Tony than he actually did. Peter was barely skimming by here but because of the circumstances of the fight, Tony had let it go. According to him, he was standing up for himself and that was all. He did apologize profusely to everyone, admitting how he had instantly regretted it. He meant it and they seemed to actually believe him. So when he asked to go out Thursday, Tony let him go as long as he was with Flash and they were behaving. Peter could work with that because they did end up joining another street fight. Just on a whim they bought three pizzas with the money he earned and they headed back to the penthouse and straight to his bedroom.

            They played video games but Peter was distracted. The sting was happening in just a few short days and he still hadn’t muddled through his feelings for Wade. No way could he have real feelings for the guy. He felt a pang of guilt every time he even thought about trying to date again. It just didn’t feel right. Like somehow he was cheating on Gwen. For so long he didn’t even want to entertain the idea and now it was in his face and he had no idea how to deal with it.

            “Okay,” Flash huffed in exasperation, pausing the game. “What is wrong?”

            “Other than I’m having to go undercover with Daredevil to break up a human slave auction?”

            “Okay…Give me something I can help you with.”

            Peter sighed, leaning back against his bed from where he sat on the floor. He pursed his lips in thought as he considered it. Since Gwen died he couldn’t even contemplate moving on with life. Now he was living again, applying to colleges and making friends. It was all punctuated with guilt. Like he didn’t deserve happiness…and then there was Wade.

            “I, um…” He began awkwardly. “Do you think Gwen would…Do you think it’s too soon for me to start dating again?”

            Flash sat up a little straighter from where he was on the bed. “You think Gwen…Dude.” The teen hopped off the bed and sat directly in front of Peter, shoving empty pizza boxes out of the way. “I knew Gwen well enough that she would have wanted you to meet other people and be happy. Just because you have feelings for others doesn’t mean that what you guys had any less special or that you are forgetting her…Is there someone else?”

            Peter hesitated, unsure how Flash would react to him being interested in another man. The teen knew every other big secret he had so it just seemed pointless to hide it any longer.

            “It’s, uh, complicated. I mean I work with him and ¾”

            “Wait. Him?”

            Peter looked up at Flash, trying to hide his fear. “Uh, yeah.”

            “So you’re…?” Flash pressed, expression unreadable.

            “I’m bi.”

            “Oh…That’s cool. I just never expected it to be honest. Okay so it’s complicated because of why?”

            Peter breathed out a sigh of relief. “Well, because it’s Deadpool. I think I might like him.”

            “You have a crush on a dangerous, out of his mind mercenary?” Flash asked incredulously.

            He flushed, drawing his knees to his chest. “I don’t have a crush on him.”

            Flash grinned. “You so do.”

            “Not helping.”

            “Okay but so? He’s a mercenary but you’ve told me he’s cleaning up his act. Maybe he’s serious. Does he like you?”

            “I think so. I’m pretty sure. At first I thought that was just how he was but it’s different now.”

            “Peter, I know you feel shitty over everything that has happened but you deserve to be happy too. It’s been four months, almost five, since Gwen passed away. I…I know it’s gotta be hard to let go and I’m not telling you to but just try it. You could miss out on something great here.”

            He nodded silently, conflicted but he supposed he would always be torn up about this with anyone. The idea of moving on was a scary one that he didn’t quite know what to do with.

            Flash sighed. “Come on. I overheard Sam complaining that you haven’t made any cookies this week. I bet you are one of those stress bakers, aren’t you?”

            Peter gave a sheepish smile and followed the other teen to the kitchen.  

            The next night he found himself in his Spider-Man suit and in Wade’s apartment again. He watched Wade bang uselessly on his broken heater. The days were getting chillier and the nights even worse. Peter was huddling, shivering as the suit did very little to actually protect him from the elements. Add wind factor from swinging, he was just freezing but he could wait patiently for Wade to get the furnace working…If he could get it working. Like everything else in the apartment, it was in a questionable state of repair. Just as he was about to tell Wade not to worry with it, the merc snarled and kicked it hard before leaving it as is.

            “I’ll go get you some clothes.”

            Peter smiled as he rolled the mask above his nose and watched Wade disappear into his bedroom again. He took off his gloves and boots and set them next to the merc’s by the door. Wade returned with the promised garments. The merc had stripped his own suit and mask for jeans and sweatshirt, the hood pulled up over his head.

            “These ought to keep you toasty, Spidey!”

            “Thanks,” he said, taking the sweats and hoodie. He noticed that Wade liked really comfortable wear. He hadn’t expected all the hoodie sweatshirts when he first met the merc. Shaking his head, he pulled the clothes on over his suit and snatched a blanket off the couch, wrapping it around his shoulder before following Wade into the kitchen.

            The merc was arguing with the voices in his head with his back turned to him. Peter leaned against the door jam, continuing to observe the older man. After some time, Peter had learned the personality of each of the voices that were supposedly in his head and always knew which one was giving Wade trouble. It sounded like both were giving him a hard time.

            “Shut your nonexistent mouth,” Wade hissed as he searched through his cabinets. There was a pause and then, “he didn’t say he had a problem with it. Oh, what do you idiots know?...I should go put my mask back on…what if he gets grossed out by my face while we are eating?”

            Peter frowned, straightening. “How about you ask me?”

            Wade whirled around, nearly dropping the plates he had in hand. “Spidey! You shouldn’t sneak up on a guy! You never know when he might be having a conversation with his voices.”

            “Wade, don’t go put on your mask if you don’t want to. I’ve told you before, your scars don’t bother me. I’m not going to get grossed out while eating or anytime…unless you got burritos from that place again.”

            “Hey, that place has amazing nachos.”

            “There was a hair in mine.”

            “You have a healing factor. Get over it.”

            Peter grinned because it seemed that Wade had completely forgotten his insecurities and when Wade’s own smile split his face, he knew that the older man had realized the same. The merc grabbed up the plastic bags sitting on the counter and walked into the living room.

            “Nope, no Mexican tonight. We are having Americanized Chinese and playing incredibly violent video games.”

            Peter snorted, following the merc as he set up the plates, dumping the Chinese boxes, on the coffee table. He sat down next to Wade, watching the man as he rambled on about a time that he had been in Japan. Peter thought about what him and Flash had talked about and he knew he couldn’t have relationship with Wade if he even wanted one. He knew he cared for the mercenary. They worked well together and he liked how he could relax around Wade and he didn’t feel as though he would be judged for his past actions by the man. He was far too comfortable with Deadpool and he knew that one day he would need to distance himself from him. Until then he was going to savor whatever this relationship was until it came to it’s inevitable end. Hopefully there wouldn’t be a casualty list.

 

            Peter emerged from his room later that night to find himself something to do. It was late again. Steve and Tony had an emergency meeting with SHIELD. He was use to their odd routines by now. He was never alone in the tower. Usually it was Pepper or Sam to keep him company but he knew they were really just glorified babysitters. Tonight however it appeared that Clint and Natasha were the lucky ones to keep an eye on him again.

            “Hey, Peter,” Clint drawled casually, impatiently tapping his fingers on the counter top next to the coffee pot…which was currently on and gurgling as it brewed a pot. “Isn’t it a bit late for you to be up?”

            “Isn’t it a bit late to be drinking coffee?”

            “Touché.”

            “Why are you up, Peter?” Natasha repeated, much more softly than what he was use to from the Black Widow.

            He shrugged. “Didn’t feel like sleeping.” They traded looks and he sighed, “What?”

            “Nothing,” Clint said a little too quickly.

            Natasha snorted lightly. “Smooth.”

            Peter just stared at them, wondering if he could just look at them long enough to get them to open up. Finally, it was Clint who caved.

            “It’s nothing serious. It’s just that we know about your nightmares and anxiety…”

            “Who said I have anxiety?” Peter asked, almost snapping at them. “I’ve talked to Tony and besides, why do you guys know about it?”  
            “We low-key live here now.” Natasha explained from where she leaned against the counter, “we don’t have any missions in the near future. We are a team, Peter. We know about each other’s lives and you get roped into that. Everyone _likes_ you. I’ve never seen Bucky warm up to anyone the way he does you.”

            “Pun intended.” Clint added.

            Natasha spared her friend a dark look before going on. “We hear the boys talking so much about you. How smart and talented you are. The rest of us wanted to meet you. As far as we are concerned you are part of the family.”

            Peter just gaped at her before looking away, unsure how to feel. Part of him longed for it but then another part was just angry. “My…I’m sorry. I just don’t feel like I belong here.”

            Natasha and Clint traded those glances again. “What do you mean, Peter?”

            He shrugged, fooling with the ends of his sleeves. “I don’t know. I…this isn’t home. I miss my aunt and…forget it. Nothing has felt right. Not even being here. I know most teens my age would kill to have an opportunity like this but I…I would trade it all in.”

            The assassins just looked sad. Peter sighed. “I’m fine. I’m just working through some stuff.”

            “You don’t have to do it alone.”

            “Well, the thing is I want to. I mean you guys are cool but…you guys aren’t my family.” Something sharp twisted in Peter’s stomach as he said it but it was true. At the end of the day it was his aunt that he truly longed for. He could give or take anyone in the tower. He couldn’t let himself get attached. He had push them away now, hold them all at arm’s length, or he would never be able to do it later when he knew he would need to. Peter returned to his room, unable to look the assassins any longer in the face.

 

           

They continued their suspension schedule of running together in the morning and then doing class work for the rest of the day. Sometimes Flash would follow him over to the lab and watch him work with Tony and Bruce. Most of the time Steve or Sam would come get him and take him down to the gym for a bit, especially after an incident with one of Iron Man’s gauntlets. Come Saturday he fed the Avengers some excuse about going to spend the night at Flash’s. Tony seemed hesitant to agree until Pepper placed a hand on his arm and told Peter to have a good time and to call if he needed anything.

            He had his suit under the black tux when he met with Daredevil in front of some law firm. Peter took in the man with his deep red hair, blacked out round glasses, and cane. Peter nearly snorted at the guy because he knew fully that this man was not as defenseless as he currently appeared.

            “Good evening, James.” Daredevil greeted as Peter moved closer.

            “Oh, shit. How did you know my name?” Peter gasped.

            “Cut it out. I know that’s not your name. Tonight you are James Young.”

            “What’s yours?”

            “Johnathon Smythe. You’ll address me as Mr. Smythe. I own high end clubs on the west coast. You are my partner.”

            “That wasn’t pre-negotiated,” Peter commented idly.

            “Deal with it. Remain flexible and keep your mouth shut unless spoken to.”

            “Okay. Geez. I heard you.” Peter rocked back on his heels. “I would ask you how do I look but that’s a bit pointless now isn’t it? Hey, do you dress yourself or do you…”

            “If I was you I would shut up. I already don’t approve of you being Spider-Man fighting criminals with far more experience than you.”

            Peter bit back another terse comment. “Have you heard from Deadpool?”

            He had gotten some texts from the merc earlier this morning, hashing out the plan once more but he hadn’t heard from the man since.

            “He just called. He should be arriving there shortly…Here is our ride.”

            Peter peered down the street to see a limo pull around the corner. Once it stopped in front of them, Daredevil surprised him by opening the door for him. Peter stumbled into the back and fidgeted as the other man climbed in after him. They spoke quietly along the way, hashing over the plans and the tech Peter brought with him for the event. He explained how it would record everything in crisp detail and send the data back to his computer at home should the device get broken at any point.

            It took almost an hour for them to get to the designation. Peter gaped at the huge mansion that sat so close to the water. He was in awe of the sheer size and elegance of the place. They pulled up to the front alongside other fancy cars and beautifully dressed people. Daredevil led them up the steps where they checked in with fake invitations and a made up story. Peter felt so out of his element as they walked into the entrance hall and into a larger room where guests were drinking and talking. A waitress came up to them with a platter of drinks.

            “Champagne, sirs?”

            Daredevil gave a charming smile that nearly scared Peter out of the place all together. “Thank you, ma’am.” After an awkward beat and a light nudge, Peter reached for a glass and tentatively pressed it into the blind man’s waiting hand. The waitress looked at him expectantly.

            “None for me. Thank you.”

            They moved to a secluded corner where Peter quickly fished out the coms, placing one in his ear and handing the other to Daredevil. The second he switched it on, he could hear Wade humming a tune.

            “We are online, Deadpool. What’s your status?”

            “Spidey! I’m working my way down the tunnel. I’ve only run into two lackies so far. How are things up top?”

            “Fine,” Daredevil answered. “We’ll let you know if anything changes.”

            “Ditto.”

            Deadpool kept humming a tune and Peter found himself strangely relaxed by hearing the other’s voice. He followed Daredevil around the room, listening to him speak to other guests. A few would ask him questions but fortunately they lost interest as they learned that it was only “Mr. Smythe” that had the fortune to be here. Peter had flushed as ripe as a tomato when a woman had teased Daredevil about having a partner so young and the man wound his arm around Peter’s waist and pulled him close. He had stepped away when the opportunity presented itself. During the talking, they managed to get names of people and their companies. It was even more shocking when none of them mentioned what they were doing here. Like they weren’t here to participate in an auction where the items being sold were humans. It was sometime later that he realized that Daredevil had his arm through his and was rubbing it to soothe him.

            “Deadpool,” Daredevil said suddenly once they had a moment to themselves. “Can you sing again? It’s keeping Spidey calm.”

            There was a beat of silence as Peter stared at Daredevil in shock until Wade began singing again without complaint. It was some cheesy song from the 80s. Peter licked his lips and swallowed hard, not even realizing how worked up he was getting. He really wanted to go home. He stilled as he recognized the woman mutant, talking with a few others across the room. Peter pointed them out to Daredevil who merely nodded. He tensed further when a man stepped up on stage where a mic stand had been placed. Daredevil quickly moved them to the back of the room and asked, “view good?”

            “Yeah,” Peter replied, adjusting his glasses that were fitted with another camera so he could catch the buyers paddles as they were raised and the stage at the same time. He prayed this worked.

            “Welcome,” the man announced, “my prestigious guest…” The man led into a long speech about the future and possibilities and a better city and country. Peter felt like he might throw up but he held it together as the auction began. Instead of dragging the captives up like a slave block, a projector came on and pictures flashed behind the speaker with important details about the individual. The first one was a seventeen-year-old girl.

            Peter wanted to surge forward and end this immediately but he remained frozen. How he managed it, he wasn’t sure. After several bids were made and more pictures flashed, all underage and from various places all over the world, Daredevil finally led Peter away and into the bathroom. There they quickly stripped their nice clothes and pulled on their masks.

            “Go ahead and call the police. It’ll take them some time to get here and be sure to snatch the guest ledger and the auction ledger. I want you to get to the office and look for anything suspicious.”

            “The mutants…”

            “Don’t worry. Just move as quickly as you can.”

            “Okay. We are on the move, Wade.”

            “Hear you loud and clear, Spidey. No one is getting out this way.”

            No one noticed them at first as they emerged from the bathroom until Peter webbed the book right out of the auctioneer’s hands before darting to snag the guest list from the front room. People were trying to flee as Daredevil began sparring with the guards. Peter made a dash for the stairs but he was cut off by the woman from the safe house.  
            “Hey there, cutie. It’s been awhile.”

            “And yet too soon.” Now Peter was prepared for her and her super strength. He caught her punch and returned it, not withholding anything. She stumbled back onto the second floor, looking surprised. She smirked, wiping the blood from her chin. “Oh, this is going to be fun.”

            Peter gulped as his spidey-senses flared and he vaulted over her, running as he looked for the main office in the house. He didn’t want to have a fight with a super powered woman in a narrow hallway. He fortunately found the said office, which was a large room with many windows and very fragile looking furniture. The woman ran in after him, grabbing the nearest object, a chair, and throwing it at him. He dodged and shot web in her face.

            He could hear Wade and Daredevil fighting over the coms. Peter threw himself at the woman, clipping her jaw with another well placed punch but she moved to dodge, ramming her knee into his side at the same time.

            “The children are secured,” he heard Wade say over the com.

            Daredevil asked, “Spider-Man, have you found anything?”

            “I’m a bit preoccupied with a crazy lady that can probably snap me in half.”

He grunted as he grappled with the mutant, trying to pin her. He was quickly realizing that she might not be as strong as him but she did have years of obvious experience and formal training that he didn’t and it was giving her a serious edge. He began layering webbing until she was wrapped in a solid cocoon. Hoping it would hold her long enough for him to come up with a plan. He could hear the police sirens in the distance. He huffed as he looked around frantically. The other two were telling him that they needed to go before the cops showed. Peter growled in frustration as he darted out of the room.

            The house was mostly cleared beside the trail of bodies Daredevil had left in his wake. He found the other two down pass the kitchens and in the basement. Peter faltered at the sight of a dozen or so children grouped together and crying.

            “Come on, Spider-Man. Let the police handle it.”

            “But…”

            Deadpool grabbed his arm. “Spidey, they’ll be okay. But we won’t be if the police catch us down here. I doubt they’ll want to play nice with two vigilantes and a mercenary.”

            Peter spared them one last look before following Deadpool into some kind of chamber. Another door led them into a dark cave but Deadpool pulled out a light and led them out without any other issues. The cave let them out on a beach near the ocean. The amount of tire tracks and foot prints told Peter this was where they brought them in at. Wade led them in the opposite direction. After a moment he could see a truck parked on the hill.

            Daredevil called out, “We have friends behind us!”

            “How come I feel like you are being sarcastic!” Wade shouted as Peter turned and saw the woman gaining on them. The sandy beach wasn’t what Peter was use to fighting on but he turned to meet her head on, knowing that Daredevil and Deadpool didn’t have the strength to sustain her blows.

            He grunted as her fist connected with his cheek. Catching himself, he managed to dodge the next blow to his head. Peter snatched her wrist and threw her as far as he could. He gaped at the distance she went before crashing into the sand. His spidey-senses flared to the point his head hurt. He whirled around to see the man on fire coming at him. Peter breath hitched as he realized he wasn’t going to be able to dodge the flames. They were swelling and rising, reaching around and Peter couldn’t get his footing right to launch himself out of the way of the explosion.

            Then gun fire rang in his ears and he watched the fire vanish in a dramatic roar, revealing the man. Blood was pouring out of his chest as he fell to his knees and then face forward into the sand. Peter turned to see Deadpool with his gun raised and Daredevil snatched his wrist, dragging him up the hill. Peter glanced back to see the woman fall by the lifeless body. She screamed as he was pushed into the back seat of the truck.

            Peter’s heavy breathing filled the cab as they drove away. He looked at Wade, the merc oddly silent. Daredevil turned on the radio, listening for any news reports. By the time they got back in the city it had made the news but names of people and locations were being left out.

            Daredevil said, “Edit us out of the material and send the files to the address. She will handle the rest.” The man passed Peter a card with a neatly scribbled address.

            “You got it,” he replied with less enthusiasm than normal.

            They dropped off Daredevil in Hell’s Kitchen. Peter climbed into the passenger seat, his head was spinning and his body ached. The silence in the cab was stifling until Wade pulled into a parking garage and parked the vehicle. Peter had time to stew over what had happened and now he was just pissed and he wasn’t even fully sure why. So he clung to the one thing that did make any sense to him.  

            “Why did you do that, Wade?” He asked as they climbed out of the truck. “Why did you kill that man?”

            “You mean why did I save your life? Because that’s what I did.”

            Peter flinched back at the venom in Wade’s voice. It was dark in the garage so it was hard to make out the details in Wade’s mask. “What? I had it under control.”

            Deadpool snorted and began walking away. “Control? You call throwing them in the ocean control?”

            Peter followed, gripping his fists in anger. “We don’t kill people, Wade.”

            The merc stopped so suddenly Peter almost ran into him. He rounded on him, causing Peter to stumble back. “No. You don’t kill people. I kill people. That’s what I do. I’m a mercenary or did you forget that?”

            “We had a deal.” Peter countered, quickly loosing ammunition.

            “Well, deals get broken.”

            “Wade…I trusted you.”

            “Well then. You can’t exactly blame me, can you? It was your mistake.”

            Peter’s breath hitched as he jerked back as if he had been slapped. “Wade…”

            “Wake up, Spidey. We all had a rough night. I did what I thought was the right call and I can’t go back and change it and you don’t get to condemn me for it.”

            “You are right,” Peter snapped back defensively. “You can’t take it back. He’s dead now…”

            “He was going to kill you!”

            “And you didn’t give me a chance!” Peter yelled, “You had no right. Just because he was a bad guy doesn’t give you have the okay to shoot him dead, Wade! We aren’t any better or worth more than the people we fight. They have friends and families like us. I¾”

            “That’s exactly what is going to get you and your _friends_ and your _family_ killed because you don’t know when enough is enough to make the hard calls.”

            “Hey!” Peter yelled, his temper coming unhinged. “Don’t lecture me on what I could lose. I already know what’s at stake when I put on the suit. I’ve already had lost important people because of this damn superhero thing and I refuse to add more to the list.”

            “Well, that’s the difference between us.” Wade went on quietly, “I think it’s time that we parted ways, Spidey.”

Peter gaped, stunned into silence, as he watched Wade storm away. His heart clenched and after the kind of night he had, he wanted to crawl in bed and forget everything. What just happened? Everything was going according to plan. It had gone off without a hitch really…until Deadpool killed a man because of Peter.

He returned to the train lab, changed his clothes and headed back to the tower. He felt numb. Belatedly he realized that the Avengers were having a party while he was with Flash.

            They immediately noticed him and the chatter stopped. Tony set his glass down. “Peter, what are you doing home? I thought you were spending the night at Flash’s.” His eyes narrowed in concern. “Your face…”

            All Peter could see was the group of human slaves, children, some his age and he couldn’t even talk to anyone about it. He couldn’t even talk about his fight with Deadpool and how a man died tonight.

            “Peter?”

            A sob ripped from his chest as he threw himself into Tony’s arms. He buried his face in the man’s shoulder and clung to him like a life line. Cries racked his body. The world fell away and all he could feel was guilt and sorrow. All he could see were the empty eyes of children and how the adults talked about them like they were weighing their options of buying a piece of meat. All he could hear was her screams and Wade’s angry yelling. Even though it was the merc who had broken their deal, Peter couldn’t help but feel like it was him who had let Wade down tonight. He clutched harder to Tony.

            He jumped when he felt something cold touch his cheek but then he heard Steve say, “Easy. It’s just an ice pack. Shhhh.”

            Peter became aware of Tony’s arms around him, the soothing motion of his hands rubbing his back. When he’d calmed down enough, Tony asked, “what happened?”

            “I-I don’t want to talk about it.” He rasped into Tony’s shoulder, taking over Steve’s hold on the ice pack. The cold soothed the heat in his jaw.  

            “Did you have a fight with Flash?”

            “N-no.”

            “Were you at Flash’s tonight?”

            “…I was.”

            “Where were you then?” Tony pressed gently, pulling back to look Peter in the face.

            He shook his head. “I-I can’t talk about it.”

            Tony’s hands came to cup around Peter’s face, keeping his head up. “Are you in trouble, Peter?”

            “No.”

            “Then what the hell is going on? You…you are scaring me, Peter.”

            Peter shook his head, eyes welling with tears again. “Just trust me, okay? Trust me, please. Just…just tell me it’s gonna be okay. I need to it to be okay.”

            Tony yanked him back into a fierce hug. “It’s going to be okay, Peter. I’m not going to let anything or anybody hurt you.”

 

           

Peter jerked out of his sleep, screams filling the room. He didn’t see the way Steve nearly busted the door down as he ran into his room. He just knew that the super-soldier was wrapping his arms around him, talking to him in shaky voice. It wasn’t until after did he realize that it was him screaming, his heart thundering in his chest. Steve held him, kept him from thrashing until he stilled. He could see Bucky hoovering by the door, eyes wide with bewilderment. Peter would have laughed since that was the most expressive face he had ever seen the winter soldier make to date but he was otherwise preoccupied. Tony was right behind him, face pinched in worry. He slumped against Steve, panting and feeling exhausted.

            “Do you want…”

            “I don’t want to go back to sleep.”

            “Peter, it’s only been a few hours. You should…”

            “No, I¾”

            “Cap,” Clint interjected, appearing suddenly. “Let me.”

            Peter watched through bleary eyes as Clint squeezed pass Bucky and Tony to lay out a sleeping bag by Peter’s bed. He laid down in it, shooing the other men away. “Go on, you three. The amount of stress pumping out of you is stinking up the room.”

            Steve gave them one last withering look before slipping out. Peter turned to Hawkeye, starting to feel embarrassed, but the man cut him off.

            “It’s been a long night. You need sleep to deal with whatever you got going on. I’m here. I won’t let you have another nightmare.”

            Peter laid back down. “You can’t stop them.”

            Clint scoffed lightly. “Wanna bet?”

 

            Waking up was not fun. Light streamed in through his windows and fortunately he was alone. He dragged himself out of bed and went into the bathroom to take care of some urgent hygiene needs. Under the blatant numbness he felt an edge of nervousness that made him want to avoid the others at all costs. He glanced at himself in the mirror, seeing half his face bruised an ugly shade of purple. His eyes were swollen, no doubt from crying. He looked about as horrible as he felt.

            After he dressed in clean clothes, he decided to go ahead and face the others. He stepped into the living room of the penthouse, seeing the news on the big TV and the Avengers silently watching it.

            “Fifteen children were reportedly rescued last night from a human trafficking ring.” The woman announced seriously. “Police are working on stabilizing the victims and finding safe homes for them. As of right now there are no reported arrests made but they do have several suspects in question. It has also been reported that Spider-Man had been at the scene, causing a disturbance at the event.”

            “Spider-Man?” Steve wondered aloud. Peter remained hidden, listening and watching.

            “It must have been related to Sniegoski,” Clint replied.

            “Have we heard from Spider-Man since the robot skirmish?”

            “No. He hasn’t come to us. He really has been dealing with this solo.”

            “Until it becomes an international threat we can’t interfere.” Natasha added.

            “Slave trading isn’t a threat?” Steve grunted, glowering at the screen.

            “And we just allow it to continue,” Tony bit out.

            “Spider-Man is handling it,” Clint added.

            Steve shook his head and turned at that moment to see Peter standing there. “Hey…How are you?”

            “I’m fine,” he answered, stepping into the room. He felt far from it though but he had a strong aversion to talking about it.

            Tony approached him, placing a hand on his shoulder and leading him into the kitchen. “You should eat. We had a big breakfast.”

            Peter nodded and timidly began fixing a plate of all the food left on the counter. He saw that it was nearly noon. He sighed as he began eating the now cool eggs and bacon. Tony poured him a glass of orange juice and looked at him expectantly.

            “So, how are you feeling? Really?”

            He glanced into the living area. It was obvious that the others were straining to listen. “I feel like shit.”

            “I figured…Want to tell me what happened last night?”

            “Not really, but you aren’t going to let me get away with that are you?”

            “Nope.”

            Peter set his plate down on the table, biting his lip. “I…I did get in a fight last night but not with Flash.”

            “Last night you were really upset…”

            “He is…was a friend. We said some hurtful things to each other. I expected too much from him and… I deserved it.” It wasn’t a lie. Just not the whole truth.

            Tony clasped a strong hand on his shoulder. “I…I know you are a good kid. You can’t hide forever, Peter. Not from the people who care the most about you.”

            “I know.”

            His godfather shook his head. “You…you can talk to me about anything. Okay?”

            Peter nodded. “Yeah. Okay.”

           

            He was more than grateful for the space that they gave him for the rest of Sunday. Peter saw the worried looks, noticing how Steve seemed especially observant. He could see Tony’s patience was wearing thin. He honestly couldn’t blame him either. He wasn’t too sure how he would react if the kid he was watching after came home in the middle of the night on the verge of a breakdown. Peter grimaced at the memory, experiencing embarrassment for most of the day. He locked himself in his room, editing the evidence and piecing it together as naturally as possible. Once he was satisfied he slipped out of the tower under the pretense of going out and picking up dinner for everyone. While on his way, he stopped by the address that Daredevil had mentioned and dropped off the sealed envelope through a mail slot.

            When he returned to the tower, weighed down with bags of food, he was faced with the penthouse residents again. All at once. When Pepper offered to fix him his plate, he politely declined.

            “Are you sure?” She asked.

            “Yeah, I’m not hungry. I’m just going to go to my room.”

            Peter escaped before anyone could object. It was hard looking any of them in the eye after last night. He sat down at his desk, turning on his computer to look at forums on Spider-Man and the latest news on the human trafficking case. So far only a few arrests have been made but nothing really substantial. Hopefully by tomorrow night that will be a different case. He tried not thinking about Wade. Something twinge in his chest every time he thought about the things they said to one another and he found himself wishing he would just find him and apologize…Then again maybe it was best that they parted ways. Deadpool had been right. He was a mercenary and Peter was not. He couldn’t even condone the killing of criminal, even a murderer. They were on opposite ends of the spectrum. This clash between them would have happened at some point or another.

            They had only known each other for a short time…but Wade had shown Peter his face. He couldn’t help but feel that they had been on the brink of something life changing. He remembered what Flash had said. Did he like the merc? Sure. He wouldn’t deny that he enjoyed the time they had spent together. He wasn’t ready to admit that he might feel more, especially after tonight. It just seemed like a better idea to just let it go. He couldn’t change Deadpool anymore than he could change himself and he had no right to ask that of the other man.

            He began clicking through old files, buried deep in his computer, throwing away old homework assignments and anything else that didn’t hold any value. He opened up one file and was faced with pictures and videos of Gwen. His breath hitched as he took in her bright smile and big eyes. All he could think was ‘ _God, I miss her.’_ Swallowing hard against the lump in his throat, he began flicking through the pictures, snapshots of their life together, no matter how brief it had been. He clicked on a video. It filled his screen and he remembered instantly when he had taken it.

            _Gwen was browsing through the beauty products in the grocery store. She gave him a side long glance then looked again, a smirk playing across her features. “Peter, what are you doing?”_

_“Videotaping you,” he replied lightly._

_“Why?”_

_“You know…for science.”_

_She turned fully towards him, hands on hips. “For science…?”_

_“Yeah, filming girls in their natural habitat.”_

_“Sounds like National Geographic material to me.”_

_He snorted as she returned to her shopping, tossing things at him to carry. It was only natural that as a boyfriend that he would gladly carry her ridiculous amount of beauty products._

_“You know you don’t need this stuff. What the hell is this even? Primer? What does that even do? Are you painting your face?”_

_Gwen scoffed at him, not gracing him with a proper response but it only served to egg him on. “Seriously. You are the most beautiful woman I know. I don’t think you need any of this.”_

_She gave him a patient look. “Good thing I don’t wear it for you then.”_

_He grimaced, knowing exactly what she was implying. “I still think you are pretty without all of this…but if it makes you happy, I’ll carry it all for you.” He held his arm, the products she had already handed him sticking comically to his free hand._

_She giggled and the camera dropped before turning off._

           

            He watched dozens of more videos, tears streaming down his face unchecked. Peter needed this. He knew he did. To see her face…to hear her voice. It caused his heart to stutter rapidly. Peter clicked on another video, unable to stop. He remembered the video. It was her speech that she had been preparing for their graduation. She had sent it to him to watch but he never did. He had tucked it away among all the files, just a grim reminder of how he had failed her and all that he had lost. He clicked play.

            “ _Good Morning, esteemed faculty and families of my fellow graduates. It's an honor to be standing up here today… I know we all think that we are immortal, we are supposed to feel that way. We are graduating, but like our brief four years of high school, what makes life valuable is that it doesn't last forever. What makes it precious is that it ends, we know that now more than ever, and I say it today of all days to remind us that time is luck. So don't waste it living someone else's life, make yours count for something. Fight for what matters to you, no matter what, cause even if we fall short what better ways is there to live.”_

            His inhaled shakily as his chest felt like a vise around his lungs. It hurt. It hurt so much that he felt like his body would just explode. His hands trembled as he took in the paused video. She was sitting on her bed, her hair pulled back in a neat pony tail and her eyes bright with emotion and _life_. He wished more than anything that he could just reach out and touch her one last time. Hold her one last. He would cash in everything to be able to spend one more minute with her to say all the things he didn’t get to say while she was here and he would start with ‘I’m sorry’.

            A strong grip came down on his shoulder, causing him to jump and peer up at Tony through misty eyes. The older man looked bleak as he looked at Peter’s computer screen.

            “Who is she?”

            “Her name was Gwen,” he answered softly.

            “Was?”

            “She…she’s gone.”

            Tony’s hand moved to comb through his hair in a surprisingly soothing gesture. “Was…was she your girlfriend?”

            “Yeah.”

            “I’m sorry, Peter. I didn’t know.”

            “It’s okay.”

            They were silent for a long time, looking at a picture of the two of them together, until Tony leaned forward and exited out of the folder. Peter didn’t object when Tony pulled him out of the chair and into a hug.

            “You got more issues than I ever thought possible for a nerdy book worm like you, kid.” Tony grumbled into his hair. The comment actually pulled a tiny laugh out of him. Tony pulled away and led him out of the room. “Come on. You aren’t locking yourself in your room anymore. You need to eat and spend time with people.”

            Peter scrubbed at his face as they walked into the living area of the penthouse, but he knew that his eyes were probably red from crying. It was confirmed when Steve spotted them from the kitchen and a frown crossed his face.

            “What’s wrong?” the super-soldier asked worriedly.

            Tony glanced at Peter who just shook his head. “I’ll tell you later. Have you freeloaders decided on a movie yet?”

            “We were just debating over _The Breakfast Club_ , _Braveheart,_ and _Lilo and Stitch_.” Sam answered.

            Natasha added, “Clint wants to watch _The Adventures of Priscilla_.”

            “Do not judge me. It has Hugo Weaving from _Lord of the Rings_ in it.”

            “Okay, Legolas, we get you are a fanboy. Tone it down.”

            “I’ll shoot you, Tincan.”

            Steve had come to hover by Peter’s side, a hand coming to rest on his shoulder. “Why don’t you choose, Peter?”

            He gave an uneasy smile, feeling emotionally raw but eager for some sense of normalcy. “Uh, I like all of them…How about we just watch them all?”

            Clint grinned from where he was draped over an armchair. “I like your style. _Lilo and Stich_ first!”

            Peter relaxed as the attention came off of him and he went into the kitchen, where Bruce was fixing plates of Chinese food. He handed one loaded plate to Peter. “Scientists tend to be forgetful about taking care of ourselves. It’s best to eat whenever you can.”

            He shared a smile with the doctor, having grown quite fond of the man during their time of working together. It was good to see him out of the lab though. He ended up wedged between Natasha and Tony. When she gave him an appraising look and then tugged him against her shoulder half way through _The Breakfast Club_ to scratch her nails through his hair, he felt decidedly more at peace than he had in a while.

 

The next morning Peter woke feeling…good. It was a strange feeling that he popped right of bed and beat Steve and Bucky down stairs for their morning run. Flash would come later to go over class work and hang out. When they finished their run, they all paused in the living room to watch the news on the TV.

“It seems that new evidence has surfaced in the Moulton human trafficking case,” the woman said, “This footage reveals dozens of prominent and important individuals of New York present at this ‘party’. Time will only tell if the DA will be able to use this in their case.”

“I’ll be damned,” Sam swore. “Do you think it was Spider-Man who got the evidence together?”

            “I wouldn’t doubt it,” Steve replied, eyes following the text on the screen.

            “I hope it works though. Most of those on that guest list were getting to walk away. Maybe this will give the prosecutors the ammunition that they need.”

            “Even if they don’t do jail time,” Tony said, appearing from the elevator. “Their reputations are trashed. All the companies on that list are steadily dropping in the stocks. Even if they don’t end up behind bars, they will be living on the streets soon enough.”

            Peter felt a hint of pride swell in his chest as he turned to head to his room and something settled like a calm over his usually chaotic mind.  

 

He met up with Flash later that day. They hadn’t really had the chance to talk since Saturday so they decided to head out for a late lunch together rather than have this conversation in the Tower. As soon as they slipped into the booth at the back of the diner, Flash leaned forward.

            “Okay. Spill. What happened?”

            Peter grimaced inwardly, still sore over the whole incident.

            “Everything went fine,” Peter admitted, “but me and Deadpool had a fight.”

            “Trouble in paradise?”

            Peter rolled his eyes. “Deadpool killed someone. I mean, he did it to save my life, but we fought about it and he left. Basically said that we should part ways.”

            “What about that dickface you two were hunting down?” Flash asked.

            They fell silent as the waitress came to take their orders. Once she was gone, Peter answered. “I guess I’m going to continue to hunt him down. Just alone. Knowing he’s out there… I have to stop him.”

            “I don’t like the sound of that.”

            “Neither do I but what choice do I have?”

            “Apologize to Deadpool.”

            “I…” Peter shook his head. “I can’t do that. It’s for the best. We are just too different.”

            Flash snorted. “Yeah. Keep lying to yourself if that’s what helps you sleep at night.”

            Peter was about to retort when the door chimed. He looked and his eyes widen as he saw Daredevil, in a dress shirt and slacks, walk in. His cane tapped against the vinyl floor until he was by their table. He slipped into the booth next to Flash. His friend pressed himself against the wall, looking confused, and Peter remembered that he hadn’t seen Daredevil without his mask.

            “Uh…”

            “Peter Parker,” Daredevil said evenly, “You may call me Matt. Your plan has been a success.”

            Peter traded looks with Flash before nodding. “Uh, yeah. Looks like it.”

            “Congratulations.”

            “How come I feel like you aren’t just here to give me a pat on the back? Because you know, others helped too.”

            Daredevil, _Matt_ , leaned forward, dropping his voice. “I’m here to tell you that Void is being manufactured down in the warehouse district. The acting supervisor is this man.” The red haired man took out a photo with a name written on it and passed it to Peter. “He might be able to point you in the direction of Sniegoski.”

            “That would be awesome. Thank you…Matt.”

            “Of course, Peter. Take care.” The man stood but then paused, reaching into his pocket again and sliding Peter another card. “Call me if you need anything.” 

            His eyes went wide as he read the neat script on the business card. _‘Nelson and Murdock: Attorneys at Law’_ He knew who Daredevil was. Never mind the fact the Daredevil knew who he was. He was geeking out just little.

            Once they were alone again, Flash breathed a sigh of relief. “Shit. Who was that?”

            “Daredevil.”

            “If I’m going to continue being your friend I’m going to need therapy or a hell of a lot of booze.”

            Peter snorted as he pocketed the card but then turned serious as he looked down at the photograph. “This is huge, Flash. This guy might be in direct contact with Sniegoski.”

            They lapsed in silence as they ate. Flash made a thoughtful noise. “You need to stop him. I’ve been hearing rumors about people gaining super strength but get seriously pissed off. It’s freaking people out.”

            “Shit.” Peter swore lightly to himself. “It’s happening.”

            “It is, isn’t it? You slowed him down. I mean all those CEOs and tycoons are now dirt poor because of what you did.”

            “Yeah, but I need to stop him.”

            Flash pursed his lips, glaring out the window for a moment. “Hey, didn’t you say that this is all linked to some political figure head?”

            “Yeah, but I don’t who is pulling the strings.”

            “I bet if you figure out which corrupt politician is employing Sniegoski, you’ll be knocking two birds with one stone.”

            “That’s true.”

            “The Mayor elections are coming up,” Flash added idly.

            “They are,” Peter hummed in thought, poking at his food.

            “Too bad you can’t bring in the big guns.”

            “Yeah,” Peter replied, biting the inside of his cheek. “But I’ll manage on my own.”

 

           

           

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow! I must say I struggled so much with chapter. I must have rewrote it a dozen times until I came up with something I was happy with XD 
> 
> I hope you all enjoy it. Thank you to everyone for the wonderful support. The kudos and comments give me life. It's so amazing. I love all of you. 
> 
> I'm about to start classes so I don't know if I'll be able to keep up with updates but we are going to try!!! Edits to updates will be on the last chapter posted and on my tumblr. 
> 
> >>>Next hopeful Update: August 21!!!
> 
> EDIT (8/21): unfortunately I can not update today. I am still working on chapter 11 and I have started classes. I thank everyone for their patience. 
> 
> So the next update will be set to next Sunday 8/27/16.


	11. A Little More

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: alcohol and drug use/ temporary character death

Peter didn’t expect it to bother him as much as it did. He didn’t expect to miss Wade. For someone he only spent a few hours a week with for only about two months, Peter didn’t realize how much Deadpool had grown on him. He couldn’t explain it. Something in his stomach twisted and left him feeling like he had failed the other man somehow. He thought about Wade’s smiles. How they ranged between wide and crazy to small and shy. He thought about how his dark eyes lit up with excitement when he found something funny or enjoyable. Then Peter thought about the tense tight lines of his shoulders as they fought in the parking garage, his quietness on the ride. How angry he sounded as he yelled at Peter.

            It was over though. Whatever partnership they had. Whatever that relationship had been turning into disappeared. Peter couldn’t fool himself. He knew it was going to come to an end someday. He’d always thought it would be because Sniegoski was in prison and Deadpool moved onto the next job. Never had he thought he would get attached in such a way that had his stomach flipping every time he thought about the other man. Honestly at this point Peter was use to everything going up in smoke. He’d take this situation the same way he had others before; let it roll off of him like water and keep moving forward.

            Returning to school went about as well as he had expected after it became known that Captain America had acted as his guardian after the fight. Peter didn’t want to deal with all the attention it suddenly gave him. He liked being a fly on the wall, blending in with the crowd. Now he could barely make it to his classes without students saying something to him about it. Flash became particularly defensive towards the rude ones. Peter let it slide off of him, knowing that it would pass. Talk always did. He lucked out that most didn’t even believe that it was Captain America. So he played along and hoped that they would forget about it as quickly as they did when the Lizard attacked the school.

            Flash’s old friends left them alone for the most part. He snorted every time Flash grumbled about the players on the team, usually calling them out on the stupid things they have done. Tony watched him like a hawk between meals, working in the lab and going to school but Peter did everything he could to assure him that everything was normal. It took proving him wrong on an equation that could improve the boosters in his suit to get Tony off his back. He was relieved when Friday rolled around though. He went to a street fight by himself. Peter still didn’t like the scene but he figured it wasn’t any worse than running around in the suit. He was also getting good at loosing matches convincingly but always walking away with a pocket full of money.

            He changed into his suit, pointedly trying not to think about the last time he had put it on. Peter was still sore over what happened but he had to put it behind him. He didn’t want to think about it. Hopefully getting to work, searching for where they were manufacturing the drugs, would be a good distraction. When he reached the district after stopping a few petty robberies, his phone buzzed. He took it out, seeing it was Flash.

            “Hey, what’s up?”

            “There is a party at Liz’s place. I wanted to see if you wanted to go.”

            “Nah, I’m on patrol.”

            “Okay. It’s cool. Text me when you finish.”

            “Sure. Call me.”

            He slipped his phone back into its pouch. It had become a thing that they wished each other safety or if Flash was out at night by himself for whatever reason, he had to call Peter if anything sketchy came up. Peter wasn’t sure when Flash had become his best friend but he was endlessly grateful to have his once bully become such an important part in his life.

            Peter began his search, combing through several buildings, and found nothing unusual. He was taking a break, considering a new strategy when he heard two men coming down an ally. Sticking to the shadows, he followed them to listen.

            A portly man scoffed at something his partner had said. “Stop being paranoid. No one can touch us. Soon enough we will be among the richest people in New York.”

            “A lot money is going to do us in jail. I’m starting to question Sniegoski’s pull in this city. You saw what happened to all those people last weekend. They’re names are ruined and not a damn thing he can do about it.”

            “Better shut your trap before the wrong person hears or you’ll end up at the bottom of the bay. If you don’t want in than get out. More profit for me.”

            “Ross, we’ve been pals a long time…Have you thought about what this Void can do? Really thought about it. A man’s got to question his priorities when he sells this drug on streets and wonders ‘who the hell would cook up something like this’?”

            “Did you make the sale?”

            “Yeah, to a bunch of high school students. Supposedly they were heading to a party. Bought enough for themselves and their friends. I wouldn’t be surprised if there is a body count by dawn…”

            Peter stopped listening, conflicted with following where they were going and finding the party. He hoped that it wasn’t the one Flash was at but instinct told him that he wasn’t that lucky. So he let the men slip away around the corner so he could pull out his phone and call Flash. The call went to voicemail. So Peter sent several texts to his friend before swinging to Liz’s place. She lived in a suburban area with large yards and picket fences. He ducked behind a tree to pull on his street clothes and hide his mask. He left his backpack there as he hopped the fence to go find Flash.

            He saw several of his classmates present, along with other teens he knew that were from other schools. No one paid him any mind as he hurried inside. Everyone was dancing and chatting, suspicious solo cups in hand but that was the least of his worries. Fortunately, he found Flash quickly who was chatting up the hostess. Their eyes met and Flash grinned widely, his cheeks flushed.

            “Hey, Pete! You made it!”

            “Flash, we have problem.”

            Immediately his friend sobered up and excused himself from a very miffed looking Liz. They stepped out onto the front porch that allowed them more privacy. “What’s up, man?”

            “I think Void might be here tonight.”

            “That crazy drug? Shit. I haven’t seen anything weird yet.”

            “I think you should go home.”

            “No way. Let me help you. Two eyes are better than one.”

            “Flash…If someone takes it, it can get dangerous.”

            “I’ll leave then but until then let’s go look. If they are doing drugs, people are going to be hush hush about it…I think I might know someone who’ll know where to point us.”

            Peter nodded, not liking this one bit but followed Flash back inside. He made a b-line for the kitchen where some guys were playing at being bartenders. A girl came up to him and kissed him on the mouth, blowing smoke into his mouth. Peter was absolutely stunned as she pulled back and winked at him. Before he could breathe out, someone else grabbed him and the next thing he knew Flash was kissing him. Belatedly he realized what was happening and blew the hit into Flash’s mouth. His _friend_ was smirking as he puffed out the smoke through his nose, laughing good naturedly.

            “Does pot even affect you?”

            “I hate you,” Peter responded, blushing. “You are an awful human being.”

            Flash just chuckled and walked over to where some students were smoking blunts. “Hey, Jerry.”

            Jerry, a red haired guy with tattered converses and a leather jacket, quirked a brow at Flash. “Like dudes now, Flash?” His eyes skimmed over Peter.

            Flash just shrugged his shoulders. “It’s 2016. What’s passing a hit among friends?”

            “A good hit. Want some?”

            “Nah, I’m looking for something stronger. Have you heard anything?”

            “Yeah, I heard your old crew has some harder stuff. They’re in the garage.”

            “Thanks, man.”

            Wordlessly they headed towards the garage door and found some of the basketball team and others hanging out in empty space. Nothing looked out of the ordinary but Peter felt like he was in enemy territory. Him and Flash shared a look before walking down the steps to join the others.

            Brad, from the fight, spotted them first and actually smiled. “Hey, guys. No hard feelings, right?” The player grabbed two beers from a cooler and passed them over.

            “None,” Flash responded and Peter nodded. He popped the top on his and took a sip, hoping for comradery. Drinking wasn’t his thing but he was willing to make a sacrifice. His phone buzzed and he took it out while Flash talked to his teammates. It was Tony.

            [ _Hey, Peter. Let me know what’s going on.]_

_{Hey! Sorry. I decided to spend the night at Flash’s. I’ll come home if that’s not okay.}_

_[No, you’re fine. Have a good time and stay out of trouble.]_

_{Sure.}_

            Peter breathed heavily through his nose and took another drink from the bottle. He chatted with the other students and he was being passed a second drink before he knew it. Flash had wondered over with Brad. Peter had a nice buzz going as he smiled at them but it fell away as his friend asked the question that had been nagging at Peter.

            “Hey, man. I heard you have some harder stuff tonight. Got any to share?”

            Brad sneered and replied, “yeah. It’s new stuff.”

            “Is it that Void?”

            “Nah, it’s a pill.”

            Peter and Flash traded worried looks. What if it was at some other high school party tonight? He ducked away to switch on his com to listen for any news reports.

            Flash continued. “Are you sure, man?”

            “I wouldn’t buy anything if I didn’t know what it was.”

            “Who did you buy it from?” Peter asked.

            “Some old guy I know,” Brad bit out, becoming obviously agitated.

            “Hey, chill. We are just asking.”

            Flash took that moment to walk over to the cooler and get another bottle for him and Peter. They stood off to the side to speak.

            “What do you think?”

            “I think they made their drug more readily assessable since the last time I’ve dealt with them.”

            “And lying to their buyers too.”

            “Yeah, keep an eye out.”

            Peter didn’t like this at all. He had no idea who had the drug or if the drug was even Void. He ended up going back inside, setting his drink on the bar, to go to the restroom. The music seemed to be a little louder and people seemed to be making out more than talking at this point. He shook his head as he picked up his drink again from the counter and went and found Flash outside. He downed the rest of his drink and threw it in the trash as Flash came over.

            “There’s no telling who has what.”

            “Let’s just hang out and I’ll do damage control if the rumors are true about Void. If things get out of hand, you need to get out of here.”

            “I know.”

            “I’m serious.” Peter retrieved a bottle of water from a separate cooler and talked with his more lucid peers. It began setting in slowly. Whatever it was soon hitting him in waves a nausea. He swallowed hard, slipping into the bathroom again to splash water on his face. He felt achy and broke out into a cold sweat. It felt like a flu, zapping him of his strength and leaving him feeling like he might fall over at any moment. Peter didn’t know how he knew but his spidey-senses were muted. He jumped at the knock on the door.

            “Peter, are you in there?” He heard Flash call out.

            He fumbled for the knob and jerked the door open. Flash took one minute to examine his face and his expression went tense with worry. “Dude, shit.” Peter stumbled back as Flash pushed into the bathroom, and closed the door behind him. “Peter, I heard some punks talking. I think they spiked your drink when you weren’t looking.”           

            Peter felt fear, cold and sharp lace through him. “With what?”

            “Whatever Brad bought off that guy earlier. Supposedly they crushed it up and put it in your beer after we gave them a hard time about it… I think they did it because they blame you for the game that we missed.”

            “Fuck,” he swore, mind racing but he realized that his thoughts were muddled.

            “Do drugs mess with you? Give me something to work with.”

            “Pain meds don’t work on me. It takes large doses. So maybe this will pass quickly.” Peter panted as his head spun. “I think I’m sensitive to alcohol. So I don’t know how it will mess with me.”

            Flash gave him a skeptical look. “Come on. Let’s get you out of here.”

            Peter let Flash help him out of the bathroom and toward the exit. However, they were cut off by Brad. The guy looked angry and otherwise emotionless.

            “Are you sure it wasn’t Void that you got slipped?” Peter asked, swallowing hard again. He felt way too weak to be getting into a fight with an angry student. He stood up straighter so he wasn’t leaning so much on Flash and glanced around the empty hall way. He saw out of the corner of his eye that Flash had his phone out, discretely by his side.

            Brad lunged forward grabbing Peter and driving his fist into Flash’s face. Peter’s heart skipped a beat as Flash crumbled to the ground and didn’t move again. He rounded on the other, ready to fight back but then stalled. They were drawing the attention of others in the party. He could only imagine what would happen if a fight broke out here, with very angry and medically strengthened teenagers. It would be a disaster. Sparing Flash a fleeting glance, Peter ducked away from the others and ran through the house. He pushed people out of the way until he was back in the garage again, clear of anything that could get destroyed.

            He turned to face his peers, his legs felt weak and his hands were trembling. The drug was coursing through his system and the alcohol had already dulled his spidey-senses. Peter took a deep breath and fell into his familiar stance. Sick or not, he had to control this situation. Students were filling the door way, pushing for a view. Brad’s eyes were hot with rage in a way that Peter had never seen before. He wasn’t dealing with his classmate, bully, and peer but someone twisted and gone to a drug.

            Brad attacked him and he dodged the punch. The motion sent the other teen right into the wall. His eyes widened as the concrete cracked under the pressure and he rebounded, seeming un-phased. He threw slurs at Peter as much as he did blows. Peter barely heard them as he scrambled out of the way, tripping over his feet. He wasn’t sure how long he managed to keep it up, people began yelling in the background. The energy changed in the room from excitement to panic. Peter didn’t have time to dwell on it because the world tilted on him and Brad managed to get his hand around his throat, squeezing harder than a normal human should be able to as he slammed Peter against the wall.

            His head spun as he gasped for air, his stomach rolling in rebellion at the blinding pain. Gritting his teeth, Peter drew his legs up and kicked Brad in the stomach. The force sent the other teen back but Peter had to stumble out of the way as Brad came back at him.

            “Okay,” he panted, trying to fight the nausea that threatened to make him loose his lunch. “We can add high tolerance to pain to the list of side effects.”

            “Peter!”

            He froze at the familiar voice that yelled his name. His head whipped around to see Tony coming through the door. Steve followed right behind him and Natasha after him. Peter swallow hard against the bile in his throat. He grimaced at the pain the action caused him. At some point the students had scattered. It was then that he heard the police sirens. He opened his mouth to say something but Brad came at him again. The other teen never made it as Natasha had him subdued within seconds, a deadly look fixed on her face.

            “His strength…” She began as Clint appeared.

            “Void. Students have taken the drug. We just put down two others.”

            Tony grabbed him by the arm and yanked him to his feet. “Come on. We are getting out of here.”

            Peter merely blinked, confused. “W-what are you doin’ here, Tony?”

            “I’m sorry, Peter.” He spotted Flash in the door way, looking scared and concerned. His face had turned an alarming shade of purple. “I called him.”

            “We are taking you home…both of you.” Steve said finally. “Natasha can you handle the situation here?”

            “Yeah, me and Clint have this. Get the boys back to the penthouse.”

Peter barely managed to catch himself as he was dragged out of the room. The house was under shut down. The music turned off and the lights turned up. The place was utterly trashed from what Peter could see. Bodies littered the floor and there were police casing the scene. He spotted a very distraught Liz talking to one of the officers.

Tony’s tight grip was probably the only reason he didn’t face plant. The cool night air helped him get his bearings before he was shoved into the back of a big black vehicle. He noticed Sam in the driver seat. Steve got into the passenger side while him, Tony and Flash sat on the back row. Peter swallowed hard to keep from throwing up.

            “How stupid can you be?” Tony snapped as the vehicle began to move forward. “Know what? Don’t answer that. How much have you had to drink?”

            Peter glanced at Flash to see his panicked look. Steve caught the exchange. “Flash?”

            His friend looked conflicted before saying. “I’m not sure, sir.”

            “Just beer wouldn’t do this,” Tony snapped. “Did you take any drugs?”

            “No!” Peter bit out, his head spinning. “I wouldn’t, Tony…” He sent Flash a sharp look when he opened his mouth. He couldn’t tell Tony right now that his drink had been spiked. For some reason he believed that drug tests would be run and he couldn’t have Tony with a sample of his blood.

“I’m finding it hard to believe that right now.” Tony’s movements were jerky as if he was restraining himself. “Do you have any kind of idea how much trouble you could have gotten into tonight? Do you know what was happening while you were fighting some kid?”

            “No…” Peter admitted brokenly.

            “People…that drug, _Void_ , was at this party. People have _killed_ while using it. You could have gotten seriously injured, Peter.”

            Peter felt like crying but instead he hit back of the head rest in front of him. “Stop! Stop the car. I need to puke!”

            He jolted forward at the sudden hit of the breaks. The vehicle hadn’t even come to a full stop before Peter was jumping out. His stomach heaved painfully as his body rebelled. A clammy sweat broke out along his skin. He nearly pitched forward into the mess if Tony hadn’t had caught him, holding him up and rubbing his back. His limbs felt so weak. Something clenched at his chest like a part of him was missing. The lack of his spidey-senses sent a terrifying chill along his spine. What if his powers didn’t return? What if this damaged his abilities? So many more questions raced across his mind faster than he could comprehend. He had no choice but to ride along the tide.

            Once he was done and a bottle of water forced to his mouth, Tony got him back in the car. The feeling that something wasn’t right was really starting to resonate with Peter as they pulled into the Tower’s parking garage. He felt so sick as they got onto the elevator, trembling under the florescent lights. Peter was out of the elevator the second it opened, running to the nearest bathroom. He emptied his stomach again, before slumping against the cool porcelain. He felt hot now and whimpered as everything seemed too loud, too bright. He began shedding his extra layers and sat back on his heels, pressing the heel of his palms into his eyes.

            “...nest. I didn’t know drugs were at this party,” he heard Flash say.

            “Well, I’m telling your father in the morning...”

            “Tony,” Steve interrupted from where he was now kneeling next to Peter, pressing a cold rag to Peter’s forehead. “His father won’t know about this.”

            There was a beat of silence. “And why the hell not?”

            “I’ll tell you later.” He stood, pulling on Peter gently. “Come on, son. Let’s get you in bed so you can sleep this off.”

            Peter stumbled after Steve, blinking against the blurring images. He remained silent, trying not to panic over the lack of his powers and how he failed so miserably tonight. He fell into his bed and succumbed to the Void in his system.

[][][]

Peter moaned as he woke. It seemed like he was having horrible waking experiences more and more frequent. Slowly the night came back to him. He could only remember bits and pieces. The loss of his strength…The drug Void had been at that party. A pang of fear spiked through him at the thought of his powers being gone. Slowly he reached up to his head board and when his fingers stuck to the smooth surface he released a sigh of relief.

            His head throbbed and he still felt ill, shaky even. Regardless of his discomfort, he pushed himself out of bed, knowing that a firing squad was waiting for him. He relieved his needs in the bathroom, taking a moment to look at the bruises on his neck and arms, before shuffling into the main rooms of the penthouse. He found Tony and Pepper in the kitchen. It didn’t surprise him that it was so late in the day. When Tony didn’t blow up at his approach, Peter really began to worry.

            “Where...Where’s Flash?” He began, his voice rasping.

            “Sam took him home earlier,” Pepper answered, sparing Tony a hard look who was pointedly not looking at Peter.

            “Oh.” He had a lot of groveling to do. “I-I’m sorry.”

            “Sorry for what?” Tony bit out quietly and it caused him to tense even more.

            “I’m sorry for going to that party.”

            “What? No sorry for lying to us? No sorry for not letting us know where you are going not a week after you come home crying and hurt? No sorry for not considering that we might have been worried?”

            Peter gaped at the older man before lowering his gaze. He wasn’t going to argue with Tony. Not like this.

            “I think it goes without saying…You are grounded and you have an appointment.”

            “An appointment?”

            “With a psychiatrist.”

[][][]

Peter glowered at the woman across from him. He couldn’t help it. The anger sat bitterly on his stomach. He swallowed hard to keep whatever he had eaten down. Only a day had passed since Tony told him that he would be talking to a doctor. Everything felt too raw. In that time, he didn’t like the way the others looked at him. It made him feel restless and upset in ways he couldn’t explain. His fists clenched and he tried to ignore the way she smiled at him. It felt false. He quickly came to the conclusion he did not like this woman.

            “I cannot help you if you refuse to speak to me,” she told him.

            “I don’t want your help.”

            “Do you have a problem with drugs and alcohol, Mr. Parker?”

            “No,” he bit out.

            “Do you get much sleep, Peter?” When he didn’t say anything, she pressed. “Let’s talk about when your uncle died. You were there, weren’t you?”

            “None of your business,” He snapped.

            “You are angry. Why?”

            “Because I don’t want to fucking be here.”

            She was silent for a moment. “Tell me about school.”

            He stood abruptly. “I’m done with this.” Peter stormed out of the room and ran right into Tony.

            His godfather frowned as the woman followed him out. She gave him a smile that was disgustingly sweet. “Mr. Parker refuses to speak to me. Call me when he is ready to talk.”

            He glared at her as she left the penthouse and Tony made a frustrated noise. “Peter...”

            “What, Tony? This was fucking stupid.” He stormed off, heading to the kitchen but sure enough the Avengers were gathered there. He casted them all a dark look. Since when had they all become permanent fixture around the tower? Wasn’t it supposed to be just Tony and Pepper?

            “Peter, you have to try…”

            He rounded on his godfather. “Fuck that. What do you want me to say, Tony? Fine. I’m shooting up heroine and drowning in cheap vodka when I’m not here.”

            “That’s not funny, Peter.”

            “It wasn’t meant to be, Tony!” He yelled, causing the man to flinch. “I’m trying. So stop trying to fix me. I’m not broken! If you think that talking to doctors and being evaluated is going to help me, you’re wrong. So just back the fuck off.”

            Tony looked ready to blow, his face red and his eyes narrowed but Steve placed a hand on Peter’s shoulder.

            “You are coming with me.”

            Peter didn’t argue as Steve led him out of the living space and down to the gym. They just went to sit on the benches. Steve diving right into the conversation.

“You swear that you didn’t purposely take any drugs? You were only drinking?”

            “Yes, Steve. I…Me and Flash found out that some of the other guys slipped drugs into my drink when I wasn’t looking.” Peter admitted softly and held his breath, wondering if this would help or hurt him.

            “I believe you.”

            Peter blinked in surprise. “Y-you do?”

            Steve nodded. “I do.”

            He felt a weight come off his shoulders and a knot loosen in his chest. “Steve...”

            “I believe that you were in the wrong place at the wrong time making bad decisions, Peter. I’m sorry that happened to you. Fortunately, it didn’t go sideways for you.” Steve gripped his shoulder tightly. “Why didn’t you say anything? Defend yourself?”

            Peter shrugged. “I don’t know.”

            He couldn’t look at Steve because he really didn’t know why he didn’t try to argue his case instead of just letting himself get in trouble. It was beginning to become too much.

            “Peter, you are young and you have every right to have some fun. Just promise me you will be more careful and tell me if you are going to be at a party like that.”

            He looked at the super-soldier in surprise. “Seriously?”

            Steve nodded. “I am…I think you need to go talk to Tony.”

            “Yeah,” Peter agreed.

            “Try not to yell at him. Tony only wants the best for you…You know you didn’t come with handbook on how to handle right?”

            Peter bit his lip to his smile. “Yeah, I know. My aunt has said the same thing.”

            Steve was silent for moment, staring out across the gym. Peter let the man think. Steve stood and motioned for him to follow. “Come on. You were getting your ass kicked the other night. Let me show you some defensive moves.”

            “For real?”

            Steve gave him a leveled look. “You get beat up a lot. I’ll show you a few moves that might help you.”

            After an intense introductory lesson in how to defend yourself against Captain America, Peter went to look for Tony. He found the man in the labs. Since the party he hadn’t been down here because the idea of being trapped in a space with a very irritable Tony Stark and surrounded by weapons seemed like a really bad one. He watched Tony for a moment as he worked on his suit, and then cleared his throat softly.

            “Uh, Tony?”

            “Yeah?”

            “I’m sorry. For the other night.”

            He was met with silence and Peter tried again. “I really am, Tony. I made a mistake and I promise I won’t do it again…Please don’t be mad at me.”

            Tony sighed and put down his tools to turn and look at Peter. “When is it going to stop?”

            “What?” Peter asked, eyes widening.

            “The lying? The you coming home late and hurt. You know, when May told me that you were acting strangely and coming home bruised late at night, I didn’t really believe her. Now I wonder. I’m this close to just grounding you until you graduate. I’m this _close_ to sticking a tracker on you…but I won’t. I know you’ve been through a lot, Peter, but you are all your aunt has.”

            “I know.”

            “Do you? You’ve lost people but so has she. What do you think will happen to that little lady if something happened to you?”

            Peter kept his mouth shut, unable to say anything. He couldn’t imagine what Tony was trying to say. It made his stomach do a nervous flip. Tony went on.

            “Peter, it’s up to you. Your aunt can only do so much. I can only do so much. How your future turns out is up to you and the decisions you make today. I just hope you make the right ones because tomorrow you might not be here.” His godfather took a shaky breath. “And that aunt of yours won’t be the only one devastated if you died. There is a penthouse full of people who would be miss you.”

Peter’s jaw went slack before he snapped it shut and swallowed hard. He nodded and looked away, unable to speak.

Tony sighed and turned back to his work station. “Come hold this in place for me?”

            “Yeah, sure.” Peter said, clearing his throat as he stepped closer.

[][][]

Things returned to normal after that. Or as much as he could return to normal considering his circumstances. He spent time with Flash after school and dialed back the amount of time he spent as Spider-Man. Peter received a popularity spike for the beating he took from Brad, who was currently expelled from the school. What had happened to the others it was unknown but apparently a few nights later, some of the high ranking drug dealers had ended up in prison thanks to Daredevil. So Peter decided to take a break and just collect himself. Between everything happening with Tony and Wade, he just needed to relax. Of course any sense of normalcy wouldn’t last.

            Peter stood in the kitchen, shoveling Frosted Flakes into his mouth when Steve and Tony emerged with suit cases in hand.

“What’s going on?” Peter asked.

            “An emergency meeting,” Tony answered, giving Peter a glance over. “We are having to travel to London. Will you be fine here?”

            “Yeah. I’m good.”

            “Nat will be with us. Pepper, Clint, and Bruce will be around.”

            Steve added, “Bucky will be back later today from his mission.” The super-soldier paused before adding, “Call us if anything happens.”

            Peter frowned but nodded. “Sure.” He didn’t pry but both men seemed tense and quiet. They soon left, leaving Peter alone in the penthouse. He played video games with Clint when he came around and ate dinner with Pepper and Bruce. He went to bed early that night for once.

            He was startled out of his sleep when his spidey-senses tinged. He was on his feet and in the hall way in seconds, searching for the danger. It was then that he heard the muffled shout from Steve’s and Bucky’s room. Frowning, he ran to it only to find the door securely locked.

            JARVIS then spoke. “I would advise you not to enter, Mr. Parker. Mr. Barnes is in the middle of a nightmare. He is extremely violent if woken.”

            Peter paused for a second before asking, “do you have a recording of Steve’s voice?”

            “I do.”

            “Put together a track of Steve talking and laughing and play it in the room and then unlock the door, please.”

            “I advise against such actions, sir.”

            “JARVIS, I won’t get hurt but Bucky might. Please.”

            There was a beat of silence before the lock clicked and Peter pushed his way inside. Sounds of Steve laughing softly filled the room and Bucky was gasping, panic evident. Peter rushed to the soldier’s side, calling his name. As he placed a hand on Bucky’s shoulder, a hand clamped around his wrist. Peter gritted through the pain and reached with the other one to catch the metal arm. It took a great amount of effort to keep the arm from striking him but Peter was careful not to pin the man down. Somehow they ended up on the floor, panting and Bucky went limp against his side. After a moment Peter realized the man was trembling. Shaken himself, he brought his arms around the man and rubbed his back soothingly as Steve talked about his favorite movies of the sixties.

            Peter saw Clint and Pepper lingering by the door, their expressions filled with fear and worry. After sometime he managed to coax the man back into the bed and moved to leave but Bucky caught his wrist, gentler this time and mumbled a broken, “stay.”

            “I’m going to get you some water. I’ll be right back. I promise.”

            When Bucky released him, Peter hurried to the kitchen with the other two adults on his heels.

            “Have you lost your mind?” Clint hissed as he followed.

            “Uh, no?” Peter responded as he filled a glass of water. His face twisted into a grimace. “Maybe?”

            “You don’t just run in Bucky’s room like that. Steve deals with it.”

            Peter’s frown deepened and shook his head. “Steve isn’t here and I’m not going to let the guy suffer through it.”

            “It’s dangerous, Peter. You shouldn’t have gone in there. Bucky’s not himself when these things happen.” Pepper added calmly.

            Peter shrugged and returned to the room, ignoring the look Clint gave him. He left the door open and sure enough Bucky was sitting up, staring at the wall. Moving slowly Peter placed the drink down and Bucky’s eyes flicked to his and Peter held his breath, frozen, for a second. Steve’s voice still played in the room. Slowly he sat on the edge of the bed, reaching out to grab Bucky’s human hand. He wasn’t sure how long they sat there in the dark room. At some point he had shuffled closer, stretching out on the bed and his head resting on the man’s shoulder.

            Bucky exhaled shakily. “It’s too dangerous.”

            “I trust you, Buck.” Peter replied softly. Neither of them said anymore as Steve’s merry humming chased away the darkness.

[][][]

            Something in the penthouse shifted after that night. When Steve, Natasha, and Tony returned from their trip, they looked horrified to hear that Peter had handled Bucky’s nightmares. Steve looked exceptionally pale. Peter instantly felt bad for some unknown reason, especially when the super-soldier excused himself and wasn’t seen until the next day. He didn’t think he had done anything wrong or even dangerous. His spidey-senses would have warned him of otherwise. It was Natasha that cornered him later the day that they returned while he was in the kitchen.

            He paused with spoon half way between his bowl and his mouth when she walked in with a serious look on her face.

            “Peter, we need to talk.”

            “Okay…That’s not terrifying at all.”

            Natasha leaned against the counter. “I don’t think you understand how dangerous it was for you to run in on Bucky.”

            Peter shook his head, setting his bowl of cereal by the sink to cross his arms over his chest. “I don’t know what the problem is. I’m not going to be sorry for helping the guy.”

            “There’s a reason only Steve handles Bucky’s nightmares and he gets left alone when the two aren’t together. Bucky nearly destroyed an entire wing at the new Avenger facility after an especially bad night terror. Steve has been hurt many times dealing with Bucky during one of his episodes.”

            Peter just shrugged. “Know what? I don’t care. I trust Bucky. Maybe you should too.”

            He left the kitchen without another word, unsure how to feel. Sure it had been dangerous and reckless but he wasn’t going to be _afraid_ of someone he trusted. Then a thought struck him. If everyone was so aware of how dangerous Bucky was, why did JARVIS let him into the room? Once his bedroom door was locked behind him, he cleared his throat.

            “Um, JARVIS?”

            “Yes, Mr. Parker?”

            “Why did you let me into the room with Bucky?”

            “Because I have calculated that out of everyone in the tower, you are the most equipped to handle Mr. Barnes other than Mr. Rogers himself.”

            Peter’s heart skipped a beat. “What does that mean, JARVIS?”

            “I am fully aware that you are Spider-Man.”

            He swallowed hard against the panic that threatened to rise up in his chest. “What? What are you talking about?”

            “It is the only logical explanation for your coming and goings and injuries. Your mannerisms parallels Spider-Man’s.”

            “H-have you told Tony? Or anyone else?”

            “No, sir.”

            Peter’s frown deepened. “Why not?”

            “No one has asked,” came the simple reply.

            His brows rose in disbelief. “So if someone did, you would tell them?”

            “Yes, sir.”

            “Can you like not? If someone asks can you not tell them?”

            “Of course. If that is what you wish.”

            Peter blinked in surprise. “Just like that? I don’t need to like reprogram you to take my commands?”

            “I am already programmed to take your commands, Mr. Parker. You have the highest clearance besides Mr. Stark himself.”

            “Oh. Okay. Wow. Thanks, JARVIS.”

            “Of course, sir.”

[][][]

            The days became colder and the holidays were rapidly approaching. At some point Tony seemed to have gotten over the party incident enough to allow Peter out of the tower outside of going to school. He was careful to leave his cell phone at Flash’s the first week of being released and made sure he wasn’t being followed. Honestly, after all the drama that had been circling around Peter, he wouldn’t blame Tony for doing something so drastic. Maybe he was a little paranoid.

            He continued his hunt for the drug facility but kept coming up empty. Peter didn’t doubt Daredevil and his sources but he was beginning to lose faith. He also hadn’t heard from Deadpool in the time he was under lock down. It caused something to churn sickly in his stomach but he didn’t want to dwell on the meaning of that.

            He swung through the city, patrolling for petty crimes to give himself a distraction. He’d just webbed two muggers to the side of a building for police to come pick up when he was stopped by Hawkeye. Peter hesitated on the roof top where he spotted the archer waving at him. His heart skipped as he looked into the now familiar face. Before he moved into the penthouse, the other heroes were just people he knew of but never saw beyond the battle on the street. Now he knew Clint Barton. He knew that the guy preferred threadbare shirts and pants to hang out around the tower in. He knew that the guy would drink straight out of the coffee pot if Natasha wasn’t around to correct him. Peter knew that Clint talked in his sleep, mostly about dogs and sandwiches. Seeing Hawkeye made Peter unsure of how to handle it.

            “Spider-Man, long time no see.”

            “Been a bit caught up. How’s my favorite archer doing?” Peter replied easily enough, their last meeting in their suits still on his mind.

            “Look I want to talk to you.” Hawkeye seemed to pause before straightening his shoulders. “What you did back on the Moulton case was impressive. I wanted to congratulate you on a win. Many of the douche bags present are now rotting behind bars or on the streets.”

            “Gee, thanks. Now that I have your approval, I can die happy.” There was no mirth in his voice, too tense from the worry that Clint will recognize his voice or mannerisms. “How come I get the feeling that is not all.”

            “No, you are right. That’s not all. Off the record. No SHIELD. No Avengers. I want to extend my apologies for last time and my offer in the event that you need any help with anything.” He tossed something to Peter. It was a phone. “It has mine and Black Widow’s SHIELD numbers programed inside.”

            Peter frowned, unsure how to feel about it. “What? Suddenly not worried that I’m going to go dark side?”

            “I never thought that about you, Spider-Man. In this business we have to be careful but…I know you aren’t a bad guy. I want to make amends.”

            “Off the record?”

            Clint smiled. “Off the record.”

            “Well, thanks. I’ll hang onto this…It’s not bugged is it?”

            “No, not at all.”

            “Uh huh,” Peter scoffed, not believing him. “Right. Then I won’t need to get my tech guy to check it out.”

            “Take care, Spidey.”

[][][]

            The school was buzzing with excitement. It was just a few days before Thanksgiving break. Peter puffed his cheeks as he closed his locker door, not feeling the same merriment as his peers. He jolted forward as Flash came up behind him, throwing his arm around the back of his neck.

            “Just two more days and we are free!”

            Peter smirked. “You know break is only for a week.”

            Flash wrinkled his nose as they began walking down the hall, towards the exit. “Don’t remind me.”

            Peter shook his head and shrugged the other teen off of him. They were out on the street. Flash asked, “So, uh, is your aunt coming back for the holiday?”

            He bit his lip before replying. “I don’t know. There’s all that bad weather coming and they think flights to here will be canceled.”

            “I’m sorry. What would it be like having Thanksgiving dinner with the Avengers?”

            “Probably a hot mess.” He answered honestly. “I can already see Pepper and Steve trying to contain the chaos.”

            “Well, good luck with that. I’ll catch you later.”

            They parted ways to head to their own homes. When he got on the elevator, JARVIS welcomed him as usual. The doors opened and the first thing he noticed was that everyone had gathered in the main living area of the penthouse and was buzzing with energy. Everyone was gathered, talking loudly and laughing. Peter tensed, frozen, as he recognized one specific laugh. He’d know that laugh from anywhere. Sam spotted him, grinning, and stepped out of the way. There he saw his aunt standing in the kitchen, surrounded by super-soldiers and spies.

            “Aunt May!” Peter ran to her, scooping her up and twirling around as he laughed. She hugged him just as tightly, drawing his head down into her shoulder.

            “Oh my gosh!” She cried, pulling back to look at him. “You have grown so much. Look at you!”

            “You didn’t tell me you were coming,” Peter gasped, unable to think of what to say.

            “I wanted to surprise you.”

            “Well, you did.” Peter tugged her into another hug. He spotted the others all smiling at the two of them. Pulling back, he took a moment to take her in. She didn’t look any older but definitely tired. No doubt from a long flight.

            “Go pack your bag,” She commanded him, her grin wide and eyes warm.

            “What?”

            “Well, I thought while I was home, you’d come stay at the house with me.”

            Peter nodded, almost frantically, as he rushed to his room to pack his bags. His aunt was home. He almost couldn’t believe it. Phone calls and video chats were nothing compared to the real thing. It had been such a roller coaster of emotions that he was ready for a reprieve. So he quickly threw together a small bag of clothes and hygiene products before returning to his aunt. He gently wound his arm around her shoulders and kissed the side of her head. It was an action so easy and natural that no amount of time could erase it from his motor memory.

            He looked and saw the big grins from earlier had toned down. He noticed small frowns on a few faces but he didn’t have time dwell on it as his aunt finished up whatever she was saying.

            “Are you ready to go home, Peter?”

            “More than ready. Bye, guys.” He received a chorus of farewells before leading his aunt to the elevator. It was silent for a moment until his aunt spoke up.

            “So how have you been, Peter?”

            “I’m good. You? How’s your sister?”

            His aunt sighed sadly. “Not well. Losing her husband on top of being ill has taken a toll on her. Her daughter managed to make arrangements to come a few days earlier to stay with her over the holidays.”

            “What’s going to happen when you come back for real?” Peter inquired.

            “Her daughter had to move to a bigger place to have room for her mother and her needs. They won’t be able to move into the new place until after the new year…And you know that they don’t live close.”

            Peter reached out for her, pulling her into another side hug. “I’d never leave you, Aunt May.”

            “Don’t make promises you can’t keep. What will happen if you get a wonderful job offer across the country? Or what if you meet a cute girl who wants to live near her parents? What then?”

            “Well, I’ll say no and…goodbye.”

            She playfully slapped his arm. “You better not!”

            They laughed, the relief evident between the two of them. She reached for him and grabbed his hand. Peter didn’t care. Walking down a public street, any teen might be embarrassed to be caught holding their mother or grandmother’s…or aunt’s hand. Between the two of them, they had both lost far too much in their lives so Peter squeezed her hand tight and swallowed hard against the lump in his throat because if he lost her… He wasn’t sure what he would do.

            Walking into his childhood home caused him to sigh happily. His room was unchanged. Sure he could have come back at any time but he didn’t want to be here without his aunt. He spent the rest of the day helping his aunt clean up the house and talking to her over take out for hours. That night was the best sleep he had had in a long time.

[][][]

            “So, Peter,” his aunt began as they cleaned up their mess from a homemade dinner. “How is Flash?”

            “He’s good. I was going to hang out with him tomorrow night since its Friday…but I can cancel! If you want. I know you aren’t here for long. Know what? I’ll just go ahead and call him.”

            “Don’t you dare, Peter. Go out with your friend tomorrow. It’s fine. It’ll give me the chance to spend time with some of my old friends.”           

            He smiled. “Okay.”

            “You should invite him over for dinner one day.”

            “I’ll ask him.”

            They finished cleaning up and his aunt fixed them each a serving of apple cobbler and ice cream. He told her about working for Tony in the lab and getting to meet Dr. Banner. Eventually the conversation tapered out until his aunt asked, “So, have you met anyone?”

            He blinked at her surprised. “How did you know?”

            “Well, I didn’t. Now I do.” She replied with a slight grin. “So who is she?”

            “He.” He admitted, knowing that would be the first time he was testing his aunt. He’d come out to her as bi a year ago but this was the first guy he’d told her about.

            “Oh?”

            “Yeah, but it’s nothing. I don’t feel anything for him. Not really. He was just a friend.”

            “And yet when I asked if you had met anyone, he’s the first person that came to mind.”

            He exhaled, leaning forward. “Can’t deny that logic.”

            “So?”

            “So what?”

            “Are you going to tell me about him?”

            He stabbed at the baked sweet with his spoon, mostly playing with his food rather than eating it. “There’s not much to say. We fought and I haven’t seen him in weeks.”

            “Well, does he like you?”

            “He used to.”

            “Do you like him?”

            He inhaled shakily. “I don’t know.”

            Aunt May moved her hands over his, rubbing her thumb soothingly across the back. “You know it took me a long time to come to the realization that I had to move on with my life after Ben passed away. This world, it’s a dangerous place and our next breath is not guaranteed. Don’t let fear of the unknown or guilt hold you back because days turn into weeks and weeks turn into months. Before you know it, life has moved on around you while you had been standing still.”

            “I know,” Peter replied softly, ducking his head.

            “No. I don’t think you do. You are young, Peter. Far too young to be carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders.”

            He looked up at her and saw the sad smile on her face. “I sent you to your godfather for a reason. If you think I can’t handle whatever it is that’s holding you back, let him help you. Who’s better at carrying Atlas than a team of superheroes?” She stood, taking her dirty dishes to the sink. “Don’t let good things pass you by.”

[][][]

            With his aunt’s return, Peter decided to take a break for the next week of being Spider-Man. He only went out for heists and hostage situations. Mostly he spent his time with his aunt and Flash. Sometimes during the lulls in his day, he thought about the Avengers. Well, their citizen counter parts. He wondered what they were doing. Wondered if they had plans for Thanksgiving day. Come to find out they did because by Thursday him and his aunt were riding the elevator up to the penthouse. Everyone was present. Steve, Pepper and Sam were in the kitchen cooking while the others looked on and chatted.

            Peter received more hugs than he had anticipated as they all greeted one another. He pulled Steve to the side. “Hey, Steve, I invited Flash to come over today. If that’s okay?”

            Something in the super-soldier’s expression softened. “Of course. He’s welcomed here any time.”

            “Thank you.”

            Flash showed up, sheepishly stepping off the elevator and holding up several boxes of pizza. “They had a discount.”

            “It’ll get eaten,” Sam said, taking the food from the teen and to the kitchen.

            Flash grinned at Peter before his aunt yanked him into a hug.

            “It’s so good to meet you, Flash.”

            “It’s good to meet you too, Mrs. Parker.”

            “Call me Aunt May, dear.”

            No one questioned Flash’s presence in the penthouse and the lack of his father’s but everyone treated the other teen like he belonged there right along with his aunt and himself.

[][][]

            After the holidays his aunt returned to Chicago and Peter fell into an easy routine at school and the penthouse again. He felt better than he had in a long time. It seemed that everything was going right. Steve continued sparing with him in the gym, he ran with Sam in the morning, worked with Tony and Bruce in the labs, and played video games with Clint. Natasha had begun teaching him how to make Russian deserts that she loved. Even Bucky had warmed up to him in his own quiet way, sitting with him while he did homework or played video games. He was getting attached fast. There was one person that he still thought about and wondered what he was doing. The more he thought about the mercenary, the more quickly he shut down those thoughts.

            He was searching the warehouse district again before heading back to the tower when he heard yelling. Peter quickly moved in the direction of the noise and reached just in time to see two men arguing. It was vague but when Void was mentioned, Peter tailed them closely. The fighting stopped and they headed into a building not far from them. He waited outside, watching the entrances closely. There weren’t many windows on the building and those that were had been tightly boarded and blacked out. After half an hour of just watching, he dropped down by the door that had been used and carefully made his way inside.

            Peter froze as he heard voices coming his way and glanced around frantically. He spotted a loose ceiling tile. Jumping, he crawled through the hole and held still as two men walked by, talking about nothing particularly exciting but they were heavily armed. Peter felt like he had finally hit the jackpot. Once they were gone, Peter began to move again while staying in the ceiling. Eventually he found a vent opening and sneaked through it. He moved quickly and quietly as possible, going down to what seemed to be a basement. The vent let out into a large room, filled with equipment and tables. People were busy working. Peter watched and quickly realized that none of the workers spoke English and were all terrified of the men patrolling the room.

            The two men from earlier walked through a door and began shouting orders. Peter looked around the space, wondering how he could destroy all that product quickly with hurting the civilians. From listening to the talk, he figured out that he had a few days before they were ready to start moving product again. He backed his way out of the vents and exited the building out on the roof this time. He started when he saw none other than Deadpool on the roof. The merc froze for a split second before throwing him a wave.

            “Spidey, long time no see.”

            “Wa¾Deadpool, what are you doing here?”

            “About to flush this ant hill out for the head honcho. Now if you excuse me, I have a drug lord to nab and a building to blow.”

            “A building to…? Wait! There are innocent people in there. I just saw them. We can’t just blow up the place.”

            “There is no ‘we’.” Wade replied coldly.

            “I’ll stop you, Deadpool. I won’t let you hurt those people. Come up with a new plan or we are going to blows.”

            The merc was quiet, watching him before nodding. “Fine. How do we go about this?”

            Peter released the breath he had been holding but his chest still felt tight. Being here with Wade was stirring up feeling in his belly he didn’t want to think about. “We need to evacuate the building. There are armed guards everywhere. I’m worried that if we just barge in there, they’ll kill the workers.”

            “No witnesses. They won’t kill them unless it is absolutely necessary. Finding that kind of labor is difficult.”

            Peter nodded. “We just need to get them to move them.”

            Deadpool looked around, obviously thinking. “They’ll change out the workers in an hour. We can move in then.”

            They fell into a lapsed silence. Peter moved away from Wade, unsure what to say or do. The merc didn’t seem keen on talking but he wasn’t actively chasing Peter off. An apology rested on the tip of his tongue. The need to tell Wade how he felt was overwhelming but he stomped it down. He was sure that Wade didn’t want anything to do with him anymore. So what was the point? The merc would probably just laugh at him in the face. It felt like the longest hour of Peter’s life but a garage door lifted open and a large van with blacked out windows left the building.

            “That’s our cue,” Wade said stiffly before going to the door on the roof and breaking in. He had a bag slung over his shoulder. Peter watched him disappear before heading back the way he had come, scrambling through the vents much faster this time since he knew where he was going. The guards seemed more relaxed now that it was just them. He decided not to wait any longer. He shot out three quick webs that clogged the barrel of the guns and then another two to yank the rifles from the others’ hands. He leapt down to put himself between the criminals and the exit. He webbed two to the wall and dodged a punch thrown his way.

            Wade appeared then, swords drawn and taking out guys as he went. Peter rushed over to him, ducking flying bullets, until he was beside Wade. “Plant the explosives. I got this!”

            “We’ll have ten minutes to get out,” was all Wade said before bolting off. Peter webbed the guy that took off after the merc and slung him into a few other guards who were trying to get back on their feet. It wasn’t more than a few seconds of what happened next. Peter got sucker punched and went stumbling. His spidey-senses flared and he saw guns raise to take aim at him. He moved to dodge but Peter knew that he wouldn’t be able avoid all of them. Then Wade was there in front of him, body jerking as the bullets tore at his torso until he collapsed. Peter was stunned before taking down the man closest to him and finishing off the remaining ones. Once everyone was secure, Peter rushed to Wade’s side, panic engulfing him. No way could someone survive that many bullets.

            Blood was pooling around Wade’s body, a stillness settling over him that made Peter’s breath catch. “No, no, no, no…” he chanted as he checked the merc’s pulse but then he sees the headshot wound and he knew that Wade was dead. This had to be a nightmare. It was mocking Peter that such an amazing fighter would die at the hands of some drug dealers. It was absurd and Peter didn’t want to believe that his friend, a man he had been too afraid to love had died…because of him. Because of guns aimed at him. Wade had saved his life. Again.

            Peter lifted Wade in a fireman’s carry, aware of the bomb somewhere in the room that would destroy the dozens of cases of Void. Peter couldn’t leave him. So he hurried out of the building, swinging away without looking back. Somehow he ended up at Wade’s apartment, placing him gently onto the mattresses on the floor in his bedroom. Carefully he removed his weapons and the blood soaked mask. Bleary, unblinking eyes stared up at him. Peter felt something inside him break.

            Tearing off his own mask, he cried hard. His chest squeezed around his lungs, causing his breath to come in and out in short rapid breaths. He fell back against the wall next to the bed, hiding his face in his knees. He wanted Wade back. He was such an idiot. If he would have just been honest with himself… No, he had to deny the excitement he felt every time him and Wade went on patrol. If he could just have him back, he would tell Wade that cared for him no matter what he did or what he looked like. He would tell him everything he had ever thought about the older man. How Wade always made him laugh even from their very first meeting. How he had inspired Peter to be better. He would tell him how badly he wanted him. Now? It was too late and would only fall on deaf ears.

            Peter stilled as fingers moved through his matted hair. Looking up, he felt shock as he saw Wade’s eyes fixed on him and a small smile playing on chapped lips. “W-wade?”

            “Hey, Spidey. Don’t tell me those tears are for little old me.”

            “How are you alive? You were shot through the head!” Peter was scrambling closer, afraid to loose whatever lucid dream he was having.

            “You think mad sword skills and good looks were my only talent? Healing factor better than Wolverine’s is kickass and very handy in my line of work.”

            Peter punched the merc’s shoulder and talked over Wade’s exclamation of pain. “You jerk! Why didn’t you tell me you could survive a gunshot to the head? I was…I was freaking out. I didn’t know what to do. I…”

            He fell back on his heels, crying harder than before. Overwhelmed. He covered his face with his arm as he tried to reign in his emotions. Wade pulled him onto the bed, wrapping his arms around Peter, quiet and alive. Peter sobbed even harder.

            “Why are you crying, Spidey?” Wade asked softly in the dark room.

            “I-I’m sorry, Wade.” He pulled away so he could look the older man in the eyes. Eyes so full of light and life. “I’m sorry I ever let you believe I didn’t care about you because I do and all I could think was ‘he’s dead and I never got to tell him how much I lo-liked him. How much he meant to me.”

            He wasn’t sure who initiated it first but the second he stopped talking, his mouth was over Wade’s and it settled the turmoil in his mind and the uneasiness in his stomach. Peter made a desperate noise as fingers wove through his hair, pulling him in closer. Peter wound his arms over Wade’s shoulders and sighed into the dry lips that tasted faintly of blood. After a moment, he pulled away and just hugged Wade.

            “Don’t do that again.” Peter managed to say.

            “What? Save your life?” Wade snorted but held him tighter.

            “No, die for me.”

            “Baby boy, I can’t die.”

            “What if the next time is the last time and you don’t come back.”

            They fell silent for a moment and then Wade replied, lips moving against his ear, “I will always come back to you.”

            Peter kissed him again, just a quick chaste kiss. “Peter Parker.”

            “What?”

            “My name is Peter Parker.” He leaned in to kiss him deeply again but Wade pulled back just a hair.

            “Mmmmmm, jailbait…”

            “Shut up, Wade.”

            “The age thing…”

            “I swear to God if you don’t kiss me I’ll web you to the wall.”

            “Okay,” Wade squeaked.

            It felt good to laugh into Wade’s mouth, especially after such a stressful night. The ghostly feeling that something was wrong that had been following him for weeks now settled and Peter breathed a sigh of relief. He let go of everything as he kissed Wade. Eventually the merc pulled back, cackling.

            “Boys, Spidey wants us!”

            Peter snorted as Wade rambled on with the voices in his head. He knew that it would be difficult being in a relationship with Wade but he was willing to try. Something just felt right about this. He couldn’t help but think if Gwen would approve. Instead of dwelling on that, he shifted so he could lie on the bed. Peter tugged Wade down beside him and when Wade smiled at him like that, he couldn’t imagine a better feeling in the world.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't believe this. This story has taken on a life of its own. I'm so happy to finally get this out. That's all I've got to say for right now. I've been sick all weekend XD 
> 
> Also in the next coming chapters new characters will be appearing. If you would like to someone specific let me know in the comments and I'll see what I can pull off. 
> 
> Thank you for all the support and patience. 
> 
> Next update: September 11 (Hopefully!)


	12. We Could Be Heroes

Peter woke up slowly, feeling warm and comfortable. Lazily he realized the rough texture against his cheek was Wade. He sighed and burrowed further into the other man’s side, their limbs tangled. His pillow shifted and a low chuckle came from somewhere above him. Peter just clung tighter. Naturally his bliss would be interrupted by the sound of his phone buzzing. It was then that he realized that he had never gone home.

            “Shit!” He gasped, launching up into a sitting position and lunging for his phone. He took in the early morning time and the dozens of missed calls. “Oh no.”

            He quickly called Tony, dreading all his decisions already.

            “Where the hell are you?” Tony snapped after one ring.

            “I’m so sorry. I swear I didn’t mean to…I’m at Flash’s. I fell asleep and my phone’s on silent. I never heard it ring.”

            “Flash said the same thing,” Tony said and Peter waited with baited breath, praying that Tony didn’t see through the lie. Thankfully, him and Flash had worked out stories in case of instances like this. “Just come on home.”

            “Yeah, sure. I’ll be back shortly.”

            “You better be or you won’t see the light of day again.”

            Peter grimaced as he hung up the phone and saw Wade reclining against the pillows with a curious look in his eyes. He smiled sheepishly. “Sorry, but I’ve got to go.”

            “In trouble with the ‘rents?”

            “Um, yeah. Sorta. Except not my parents. They died when I was a kid.”

            “So, who do you live with?”

            “Normally my aunt.”

            Wade sat up, tilting his head curiously. “Normally?”

            “Right now I’m living with my godfather…Tony Stark.”

            Peter watched that information sink in, seeing how the merc’s eyes widened dramatically. “Your godfather is the man that has a Napoleon complex as big as his bank account?”

            “Uh, yeah.”

            “And let me guess, him and his merry band of heroes don’t know you are Spidey.”

            “Yep.”

            Wade nodded as if that explained everything to him. “For once in my life I’m actually afraid for it. I kissed Tony Stark’s godson. I’m gonna die when they find out.”

            Peter’s face twisted at the thought of them finding out. “Don’t worry. I won’t let anything bad happen to you.”

            Stealing his nerves, Peter leaned down to kiss Wade before rolling out of bed to gather his boots and gloves. Wade followed him to the window, opening it for him.

            “Take care. I hope you don’t get into too much trouble.”

            Unable to resist, Peter kissed him again. “Hopefully.”

            “If you aren’t grounded for life…maybe we can go on a night on the town…without the suits but not naked. I mean, I’m down for that but it’s also considered socially unacceptable to run around in your birthday suit so…”

            “Are you asking me on a date, Wade Wilson?” Peter asked, grinning widely.

            “Well, duh.”

            “I’ll text you once I know my prison sentence.”

            “I can spring a prison break. Oh, we need to watch that together. Wentworth Miller and Dominic Purcell compose about 40% of my wet dreams right now.”

            Peter snorted. “Sure. We’ll watch it together. Bye, Wade.”

            “Bye, Peter.”

             He was absolutely giddy on the way home, regardless of the mess awaiting him. Peter stopped at the train to change into his street clothes and make a quick call to Flash to check in. Flash wanted to know where he had been at last night and Peter promised to fill him in later. It had been a roller coaster of a night from fear to elation. He wasn’t sure what he was doing with Wade and he wasn’t sure if this thing would survive but…Peter was willing to give it all he had if Wade was willing too.

            He reached the penthouse shortly to find everyone eating breakfast. They looked up as he walked in and he gave a sheepish smile. “I’m so sorry, Tony. I was so tired last night, I just crashed. Flash didn’t know I didn’t call you.”

            Tony had stood during his rambling and walked closer, his dark eyes examining Peter. He began to fidget under the watchful gaze. “Uh, do I have something on my face?”

            “What’s that on your neck?”

            Peter’s hand flew to his neck; to the exact spot that Wade had mauled in the middle of the night after they had settled on the bed. “Oh…I, uh, you see…”

            “It’s hickies, Tony,” Natasha interrupted with a smirk.

            Peter gaped at her in utter betrayal, his jaw going slack before he turned back to Tony. “I…No.”

            Tony looked lost for a moment as he seemed to process this information. “I…Oh. I can’t do this. Pepper!”

            He was pretty sure that his face was red from the mischievous grins on everyone’s faces. Even Bucky ducked behind his coffee mug to hide a small smile.

            Pepper rolled her eyes, dressed for work and a to-go cup in hand. “Tony, he’s your godson.” She paused by Peter, patting him on the shoulder. “Give him a hard time.”

            Peter grimaced. “You know what? I’m just going to my room.”

            “No you aren’t,” Tony snapped. “Who is the lady that threatens my godson’s chastity.”

            “Oh my god. Don’t ever say those things again and second I’m not telling you who he is.”

            “He?” Came the chorus and Peter groaned.

            “Okay. I thought you were…with the other girl…”

            “Uh, no. I’m bi.” He explained.

            “So who’s the lucky guy?” Clint purred from his perch on the counter.

            Everyone waited for an answer and Peter had never regretted anything more than this. He was tempted to just tell them that he was Spider-Man just to throw them off for a little while.

            Steve’s eyes suddenly widened as he asked, “Is it Flash? Are you dating Flash?”

            “No!” Peter gasped, running a panicked hand through his hair. “No, I mean we aren’t dating.”

            “But you kissed him.”

            He opened his mouth and snapped it shut a few times. “Shit, I can’t even lie about that.”

            “Pay up all of you,” Sam suddenly whooped. Natasha, Clint, and Bucky groaned as they reached into their pockets.

            “You made bets?” Tony asked appalled and Peter just wanted the ground swallow him.

            “Can you go ahead and ground me so I can go to my room?”

            Before Tony could respond, Clint spoke up, “we made bets on whether or not the two were more than friends if you catch my drift. We didn’t think they were except for Sam.”

            Peter rubbed the back of his neck and Tony looked just as exhausted.

            Steve shook his head. “Peter, you can go to your room.”

            “Thank you.” He fled the kitchen and the embarrassment. Once the door was locked, he looked in the mirror to see that the entire left side was covered in mouth size bruises. Peter was going to have a few choice words for Wade later.

 

            “It’s a hickey!” Peter heard Tony gasp, sounding absolutely appalled. He eased out of bed and shuffled to the door quietly.

            “Yeah, you keep saying that, Tony.” Steve replied, sounding calm.

            “It’s on his neck!”

            “Which is a good place for a hickey.”

            “Steven, this isn’t funny.”

            “It kind of is,” Steve responded with mirth in his voice.

            “You are from the 1940s. Act like it.”

            “You want me to act like a prude? Tony, I was in the _army_.”

            “Stop it. You are ruining the mental image of the conservative 40’s United States’ soldier I have in my head.”

            “Conservative? Tony, I’m in a relationship with another man who was also in the army with me.”

            “Not helping, Steve!”

            “Yes, I am. If you barge in there and scare him, you are going to pay for it. If you just calm down and approach this reasonably it’ll be fine.”

            “Calm down? Reasonably? Not words in my vocabulary right now. God, only knows what else him and Flash have been doing.”

            Peter nearly groaned, wishing he could just bang his head against the wall. It would be less painful than this. His head whipped up as an idea struck him. He quickly grabbed his phone and began searching the internet as the two men continued to talk outside his bedroom door.

            “That’s exactly why you should go in there and talk to him.”

            “I’m sure his aunt and uncle already covered this.”

            “The other talk, Tony.”

            Peter frowned at that. _What other talk?_

“What if he gets mad? There wasn’t even a hint that he might be anything other than straight.”

            “Tony, he’s your godson. And he probably has questions that his aunt can’t answer for him.”

            Peter’s eyes widened comically. _Oh God. The other talk is gay sex._ He was going to figure out a way to kill Wade.

            “Okay. I can do this.”

            “Do you want to borrow one of my books?”

            “Books?” Tony hissed. “You have books on this?”

            “A lot has changed since the 40s. It doesn’t hurt to know what constitutes as safe sex across any time.”

            “I hate you. I don’t need a book.”

            “You know where to find me.”

            There was a long silence and then Tony was knocking on his door. Taking a deep breath, Peter opened the door and held up his phone. It showed an article of a very young Tony Stark being caught with two women in the back of a less than acceptable place. “So, you want to give me your side of the story or should I just jump to conclusion on what you did? Because judging by the article, I would question your ability to give me the sex talk when you clearly weren’t concerned with safe sex yourself.”

            Tony’s jaw went slack before snapping it shut. “I’ll get you one of Steve’s books.” He turned on his heel and disappeared down the hall. Peter shut the door and flopped back down on his bed, sighing. At least he had thwarted them for a little while. He picked up his phone to text Flash and let him know what was happening. The other teen found it absolutely hilarious and was calling him immediately.

            “They think we are dating!” Flash sounded breathless as laughed. All Peter could do was glare at his ceiling. “That’s priceless.”

            “Says you! I have Tony trying to give me the sex talk.”

            That only sent Flash into a laughing fit that lasted longer than Peter felt like it should have. Peter puffed his cheeks in frustration. “You aren’t helping.”

            “Peter, it’s funny.”

            “You won’t think so the next time you come over and everyone gives you the third degree. I got to tell them it’s not you.”

            “There gonna want to know who you are locking lips with.”

            Peter groaned. “Shit.”

            “Dude, just use me. Bro code right? You helped me out. Let me help you.”

            “Are you sure?” Peter asked slowly wondering if it would work.

            “Yes. It can’t be worse than what I’ve already been subjected to.”

            “Okay. I’ll think about it.” There was a knock on his door and he quickly said, “I’ve got to go.”

            He hung up and hurried over to the door. Steve was there alone in the hallway with a stack of books under his arm. The super-soldier pushed his way into Peter’s room. “Since you scared off your godfather, you are stuck with me. Now sit.”

            Peter grimaced as he sat down on the bed next to Steve. The older man went through the books patiently and as clinically as possible. He lingered the longest on STIs, showing graphic illustrations and explaining the best way to keep from getting them was for Peter to keep it in his pants. He also added, very gently, that if he wanted to have sex with Flash or anyone else that they both should get tested beforehand. Thankfully Steve didn’t pry into his sex life but he did go into detail about safe sex and the importance of it. Peter felt embarrassed through the whole thing and when Steve asked if he had any questions, he just shook his head frantically.

            When Steve stood to leave, Peter said, “Um, can you guys not give Flash a hard time about this? Please. We really aren’t a thing.”

            Steve merely smiled and nodded. “Don’t worry. I’ll beat the others’ backs with a stick but I’m pretty sure that nothing can be done about Tony.”

            “Thanks, Steve.”

            “Anytime, Peter.”

[][][]

            Peter came to halt outside on the curb of the street right in front of the school. More than often he was glad that he was a senior and he got to leave an hour before the end of school day rush. Today was no exception as he glared at the tall figure across the street that was drawing way too much attention of pedestrians.

            “Uh, Peter, I think that guy is here for you.”

            “Yeah, I know.” He glanced around, seeing others in his class pausing and staring at Deadpool. Peter pursed his lips before taking off at a brisk walk. “I’ll catch up with you later, Flash.”

            “No way. I’m coming to meet your boyfriend.”

            Peter gave the other teen an incredulous look but continued down the block anyway and crossed the street. Wade had followed them and Peter pulled him into an ally, out of sight. Flash maintained a safe distance.

            “Wade, are you stalking me?”

            “Stalking is such a strong word,” the merc replied. “I like to think of it as passionately keeping an eye on you.”

            “You can’t just show up at my school dressed like that.”

            “I can wear my maid outfit next time if you like.”

            Peter bit his lip to keep from laughing but he heard Flash snort behind them. Both of the super-powered beings turned to the human. “Wade, this is my friend Flash. Flash, this Wade, aka Deadpool.”

            Wade leaned forward, hand extended. “Is he the one that knows?”

            “Yeah, he knows I’m Spider-Man.”

            He watched as they shook hands. Flash gave a weak smile. “Nice to meet you, Deadpool.”

            “Let’s form a coalition.”

            Peter saw Flash’s frown mirror his own. “What?”

            “A union to protect Spider-Man and his secret identity! It shall be dubbed ‘Team Spidey’!”

            “Yes!” Flash replied excitedly as Peter snapped, “No!”

            They glared at each other before Peter went on. “We are not forming a team, Wade, and Flash will not be a part of it.”

            Wade pointedly ignored him. “Now, Flash, as mission one of Team Spidey we must find the Spidey-Cave. Do you have any idea where it is?”

            “No! He won’t tell me.” Flash replied and they turned to look at Peter expectantly.

            He just crossed his arms over his chest. “And I’m not going to.”

            Wade gasped dramatically. “You do have a Spidey-Cave!”

            Peter rolled his eyes and let his arms drop as he considered it. Sometimes it did get lonely in the train car while he was working. Sighing heavily, he said, “fine. I’ll show you.”

            They whooped and high fived each other and Peter knew he was going to regret having Wade and Flash meet. Wade strolled behind them as they walked towards the abandoned station. Peter kept glancing back at the other man, unsure how he should behave after the shift in their relationship. It was still new and he wasn’t sure where they stood.

            “You know you got Peter into trouble with his godfather.” Flash said suddenly and Peter shot him a hard look which went ignored.

            “Oh?” Wade stared at Peter for explanation.

            “Everyone in the tower saw the hickey you gave me.”

            “Will I be getting the shovel talk soon?”

            “No, they don’t know about us.”

            Wade hummed. “Gotcha. Probably for the best. Wouldn’t want them knowing that their sweet innocent teenager is dating a psychotic mercenary.”

            Flash snorted and Peter said, “It’s just for a little while. I’m more worried about them figuring out I’m Spider-Man than them knowing I’m dating you.”

            “I wonder if we can give them all a coronary with those two admissions. Can you imagine it? Capsicle and Tin-Man finding out that you are not only Spider-Man but also having sex with me?”

            “We haven’t had sex yet,” Peter replied dryly.

            “Yet.”

            “Ew. Can we change the topic?” Flash groaned. “When are we going to get there?”

            “We are almost there.” Peter replied with a smirk. He led them down to the train tracks and into the tunnel. They followed quietly with the exception of one comment about sketchy places. Peter hopped up on the platform and walked over to the dispenser. Silently, they watched him slip a coin in and then the sound of grinding filled the space. He watched their faces as the train emerged from below ground. Peter grinned until his cheeks hurt at looks of surprise on their faces.

            “What the fuck!” Wade yelled as the car came to settle and lights turned on.

            “Dude,” Flash breathed.

            “It was my dad’s,” he explained and stepped into the car.

            “I thought your dad was just some scientist working for Oscorp. This has top secret and dangerous stuff written all over it.”

            “This is a Spidey-Cave.” Wade added, sounding in awe, as he followed Peter in.

            “My dad was working on top secret stuff.” Peter set his bag down on a seat and picked up the glass container that held the spider. “Stuff that created me.”

            “Just note I didn’t make an inappropriate joke when I could have,” Wade commented as he looked around. Flash had settled on examining his web making station.

            “I appreciate it.”

            “Dude, this is so cool.”

            “Let’s get to Spidey-business.”

            “Can you stop naming everything?”

            “Nope. The voices do it for me.”

            “Voices?” Flash asked, shooting Peter a questioning glance.

            “Wade has voices in his head.”

            Peter watched his friend’s jaw go slack as he looked between Peter and Deadpool who was humming as he went through junk Peter had collected from all over the city.

             “You didn’t tell me that.”

            “Didn’t feel like it was important.”

            “Of course you didn’t.”

            Peter smiled to himself. They hung out for a few hours in the train car. It wasn’t so bad, almost relaxing as they talked about superhero stuff and Sniegoski. Peter filled Wade in on what happened at the party him and Flash had gone to, making plans to continue the search together. After a while Flash left to go home, leaving him and Wade alone.

            “So,” Wade began, “are we still on for our date?”

            “I expect there to be copious amounts of food and fun.”

            “I can handle that.”

            “You’re paying.” Peter stood from the ratty chair and approached Wade. He had to stand on his toes but he gladly kissed Wade over the mask. Pulling away before Wade could take it any farther and grabbed a piece of paper and pen. “Here’s my real cell phone number. Don’t lose it.”

            “Wouldn’t dream of it, baby boy.”

[][][]

            Peter puffed his cheeks as he looked at himself in the mirror. He wore his normal, every day clothes. His jeans that were loose in odd places, a faded t-shirt, an even more faded over shirt rolled to the elbows. No doubt he would don a beat jacket on the way out since nights were really cold now. His skate shoes have definitely seen better days. He was going on a date. With Wade Wilson. Aka Deadpool. He had no clue how he was supposed to dress for something like this. Wade had said casual but at the same time Peter felt the powerful urge to look nice. This was his first date since Gwen even if it was with a mercenary. Even though he probably didn’t need to make a good impression on Wade since their relationship was anything but typical, Peter didn’t feel right going out in his normal clothes.

            He shed his clothes and was fixing a dress shirt in place when there was a knock on his door. Before he could answer, Clint poked his head in.

            “Hey, Peter, me and Nat have babysitting duty again so you want to bake me some more of those cookies…Oh.”

            Peter watched as realization dawned on the archer’s face just seconds before the man darted back down the hall, yelling, “Nat! Peter has a date!”

            Shaking his head, Peter followed him into the living room where Natasha was typing away on a computer and Clint was jumping over the back of the couch. Nat looked up as her partner settled with a big grin on his face.

            “So Flash is getting lucky tonight.”

            Peter’s eyes went wide and felt his face turn beat red. “No!”

            “Clint, stop it.” Natasha stood and walked over to Peter. “What’s the problem?”

            He paused, glaring at Clint before admitting, “I can’t decide what to wear.”

            The woman nodded and headed towards his room. He found her digging through his clothes that were thrown all over the room at this point. She asked, “what are the plans?”

            “I don’t know. I was just told food and fun.”

            Natasha nodded and tossed him a couple articles of clothing. “Go put that on with your converses…and for God’s sakes do something with your hair.”

            Peter frowned as he ran a hand over the top of his head but closed the door when she had left. Once he was redressed Peter looked at himself in the mirror again. It was another dress shirt, a dark red, with black jeans that fit almost too tightly. He checked the time and decided that it would have to do. He ran a comb through his hair but there was no managing the poof. So he stepped back into the main room where Clint was instantly taking pictures of him.

            When he shot the archer a questioning look, Clint replied, “Tony is gonna be pissed that he missed your first official date under his parental care. I want to document the experience. To rub it in.”

            “You are a little shit,” Nat snarked as she walked up to Peter She pulled on the shirt where it was tucked in, unbuttoned the top few buttons, and rolled the sleeves up to his elbow. She then toyed with his hair, glaring at it as if it personally insulted her. “There. You are good to go.”

            “Uh, thanks.”

            Her expression softened and a hint of smile appeared on her face. “Any time.”

            He smiled at her until Clint interrupted. “I expect you to be home by eleven and prepared to bake me goods. Understood? Just because Tony and Steve are not here does not mean you get to skip curfew. We will come hunt you down.”

            Peter rolled his eyes. “Whatever you say. Don’t worry I’ll be back.” He took a deep breath once he was on the elevator. His stomach was twisting nervously. The walk didn’t take long. They had agreed to meet at specific spot and a certain time. He vaguely wondered what Wade would be wearing. He almost expected him to just be in his suit. A man leaned against the building with a similar build to Wade’s. As he got closer he could see the hoodie drawn over a baseball cap and Peter knew he had found the other man.

            “Hey,” he said, smiling as Deadpool lift his head, free of the mask.

            The man whistled, causing Peter to blush lightly. “I feel very underdressed. I mean I can go change. I have this lovely little red dress that I can go change into…”

            Peter shook his head smiling. “That’s okay…I didn’t know what to wear. Natasha actually dressed me.”

            “Natasha?”

            “Black Widow.”

            Wade pursed his lips. “Okay. Definitely terrified to meet the fam.”

            “You have nothing to worry about…Unless you don’t get me someplace with food soon.”

            “Right! On ward to fun times!”

            Peter smiled at Wade as they walked along the street. It didn’t take long for him to start to notice people were staring at them or more specifically Wade. He could feel the other man tense beside him. Peter reached out and twined his fingers with Wade’s. It was an easy movement, as if they had done it a thousand times before and Peter felt his heart skip a beat as Wade squeezed his hand.

            They ended up at some dive bar. Peter gave the merc a skeptical look. “You know I’m seventeen right?”

            “I’m not going to let you drink. This place has awesome food and a great crowd.”

            Peter shrugged his shoulders. “If you say so.”

            They went in and Peter paused, taking in the smoke filled room. A few, less than desirable men sat at various mismatched tables. They looked to be the rough type, dressed in leather and carrying some kind of weapon or another. Peter felt very out of place but he trusted Wade.

            “Hey, fellas!” Wade called out as they made their way to the bar. They received a chorus of greetings in return. Peter waved awkwardly before following close on Wade’s heels.

            There was an average looking guy standing behind the counter with mousy brown hair and thick rimmed glasses.

            “Deadpool, long time no see.”

            “You know how it is. I’ve turned from the dark side. It’s a lot more work than I thought. Weasel, meet Peter. Petey pie, meet Weasel.”

            Peter shook hands with the man over the counter as Weasel said, “You know I don’t let minors in the bar. I do want to stay in business. No offense, kid.”

            “None taken,” Peter replied easily, giving Wade a patient look.

            “We aren’t here for drinks. We are on a date!”

            Weasel leaned forward, arching a suspicious brow. “I know a lot of things for you are morally ambiguous but having sex with a minor I didn’t think was one of them.”

            Peter flushed as Wade spluttered. “I am not having sex with him…yet. It’s a date.”

            The man’s eyes widened as something apparently became apparent. “Oh.”

            “Yeah.”

            “Am I missing something?” Peter asked.

            “No.”

            “Yes.”

            Peter blinked at the pair. “Okay. Know what? Tell me in your own time.”

            “Go have a seat. I’ll bring you two food and drinks.”

            Wade led Peter over to a booth and they sat down across from each other. Peter wiped his hands on his jeans nervously and glanced around. No one was paying them any attention thankfully.

            The merc cleared his throat. “Weasel, is the closest thing to a friend that I have.”

            “Oh,” Peter replied stupidly. “He seems nice.”

            Wade snorted. “Don’t expect him to follow me into battle though. The coward.”

            Drinks were slammed in front of them and Peter caught Weasel glaring at Wade. “Shut up, you fucking loon. I am _human._ I’m not going to follow into your crazy half thought out schemes. Here’s your drinks. Your food will be out whenever.”

            Peter laughed as the other man left them. Wade flipped Weasel the bird and took a long drink from his glass.

            “So. Tell me stuff, Wade.”

            The merc blinked at him in surprise. “Wait. You are actually asking me to talk? Most people tell me to shut up.”

            “Wade, we are on a date. Just talk to me. I’m not going to tell you to shut up unless you start talking about my butt again.”

            “What else am I supposed to talk about if not your butt? There’s nothing else I think about.”

            Peter laughed and that seemed to break whatever ice they had between them as they launched into a chatter, talking about things they knew about each other already. About missions and crime fighting. They kept it light for the most part. Wade did most of the talking, telling Peter about missions he had been on, people he had met. It was so easy and relaxed despite the atmosphere. Their food came, greasy burgers and fries. Peter was unsure but it was surprisingly good and made sure that he told Weasel that.

            Peter almost expected something bad to happen but they left without incident and went onto their next destination which happened to be a bowling alley. They spent the next few hours switching between the arcade and the bowling alley, eating even more questionable food. Wade was a constant stream of innuendos about balls and bowling pins that left Peter red faced and clutching his stomach from laughing.

            Wade walked Peter as close to the tower as they could without worry of cameras or spies seeing them. Peter didn’t want the night to end but he had curfew he needed to meet. They paused on a street corner, ignoring the flow of traffic around them.

            “I had fun tonight, Wade.”

            The man’s grin was something that made Peter’s heart leap. “Does that mean I get a second date?”

            Peter smirked, moving a little closer. “Maybe.”

            “Maybe? I treated you to fine dining and quality entertainment. What will get me a second date?”

            Peter hummed playfully as if he had to think about it. “Maybe a kiss?”

            “That I can do.”

            Wade didn’t pull him in and passionately made out him but cupped his face with his scarred hands and pressed his lips over Peter’s. It only lasted a few seconds but it was enough to stir butterflies in Peter’s stomach, leaving him grinning as Wade pulled away.

            “Date?”

            “Date. How about Saturday?” Peter offered already eager to spend more time with Wade like this.

            Sounds good to me. Good night, baby boy.”

            “Night, Wade.”

            Peter walked back to the tower, feeling giddy. The last time he felt like this was Gwen. He felt a twinge of regret at the thought but he couldn’t allow it to dampen his spirits. When he reached the penthouse, Sam had joined Clint and Natasha. He tried biting back his grin.

            “So how’d it go?” Clint asked.

            “It was good.” Peter admitted, ignoring the way Sam was checking his neck for any sign of bruising. “We went to eat and then bowling.”

            “Any smooches?”

            Peter rolled his eyes and turned to go to his room. He paused when Clint called out.

            “Wait a minute. Get your underage ass in here and bake me something sweet as payment for my labor of baby-sitting.”

            “Talk to Tony.”

            “Peter!”

            Shaking his head, he went to his room to quickly shower and change into some lounge clothes before returning to the kitchen. Clint made a pleased noise when Peter began gathering the ingredients for cookies.

[][][]

            “Hi! You must be Peter!” The dark haired woman said with a big smile. Her eyes danced with something akin to kindness.

            “Uh, yeah.” He shook her outstretched hand.

            “I’m Darcy Lewis. Friend of Thor’s.”

            “Oh. Hey.”

            “So you are Tony’s godson. I heard about you from Clint and Sam.”

            “Good things I hope.”

            “Seriously? Those guys love you. I’m jealous. They don’t talk like that about me to anyone.”

            Peter gave a sympathetic smile. “That’s not true. Sam had mentioned you a lot.”

            “Well, Sam is a good bro. Clint is a dick.”

            “I heard that,” the archer called from the other room.

            Sam chose that moment to come into the kitchen where Darcy had him cornered.

            “Hey, Darcy. How are you?”

            “I’m great! How is Redwing?”

            Sam gave a cheeky smile. “He’s great. Thanks.”

            Peter smiled as he watched the two interact. Peter was a little surprised by how young Darcy was. He was expecting her to be older. She chattered about her internship and her best friend, Jane. Peter immediately liked Darcy. It was after a few moments that he noticed Sam behaving oddly. Then he saw his cheeks darken and he looked away from Darcy when she said something funny. Peter could have sworn his brows rose to his hair line.

            He paid closer attention as the talked. He noticed the way Sam leaned towards Darcy, focus mostly on her. How he laughed at everything she said. Peter couldn’t help but grin.

            “So, Peter, I heard you are like super smart. Have you decided on going to college? Or what you want to do after high school?”

            Peter shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know. I guess I just want to do something to help people.”

            She nodded. “I think that’s great. I’m sure whatever you do you’ll be great at it.”

            “Thanks.”

            Clint walked in then to dig through the fridge. “You should pick up photography again. You were good at it.”

            Darcy’s face lit up. “Oh? Can I see your work?”

            “Uh, sure. I have most of it on my computer if you want to follow me.”

            They started walking towards his bedroom and paused when San and Clint followed.

            “Hey, I was the only one invited.”

            Sam shook his head. “I have been hounding this guy for weeks to see his work. I’m not missing the chance.”

            Peter smiled, feeling a little nervous as he led them to his bedroom. He did a quick glance to make sure nothing embarrassing or incriminating was out in the open before sitting at his desk and logging onto his computer. Silently he pulled up his photography folding and leaned out of the way so they could look. Sam leaned in and began flipping through the pictures. The beginning ones were of Spider-Man. Darcy caused everyone to flinch when she squealed.

            “Oh my God! I love Spider-Man. I didn’t know you knew him.”

            Peter stuttered in his haste to correct her. “I don’t know him. No way. I think he just pitied me so he let me get good shots.”

            Her expression fell. “Oh. Can I have copies of these? I’ll pay you.”

            “Uh, sure. Just give me your email and you don’t have to pay me.”

            Sam and Clint shook their heads and they continued going through images. Older ones of school events, family and his old home. Most were just scenes around the city, of warehouses, from the top of buildings and so on. He missed it. His chest felt heavy as Gwen’s face appeared.

            “Oh. She’s pretty,” Darcy said flashing him a knowing smirk.

            Peter glanced at the two men and saw their hesitant expressions and he knew that they knew. He smiled at Darcy. “Yeah, she was the most beautiful girl I ever met.”

            Her face fell and her eyes went wide. “Oh. I’m sorry.”

            “You didn’t know.”

            “I…” She glanced at the others.

            “Her name was Gwen,” Peter offered. “She passed away last May.”

            “Oh. That’s rough.”

            Peter blinked in surprise as she wrapped her arms tight around him and kissed his cheek.

            “We are going to be besties. Here. Give me your phone.” She snatched his phone and began typing away.

            “Wait. Its password protected. How…?”

            “Shhh. Don’t question it.”

            Once she was done, Darcy gave him an earnest look. “You are a wonderful photographer. You should pick it back up.”

            “I don’t know…”

            “Know what. There is a science expo next weekend in New Jersey. You should go with me and take pictures.” Her phone suddenly beeped and she looked at it. “Gotta skedaddle. Text me, Peter. I’ll see you next weekend.”

            She left in a flurry before Peter could argue. Clint shook his head. “She’s something else.”

            “Yeah, she is.” Sam added.

            Peter glanced at Clint who had glanced at Peter. Smiling, Peter asked, “so when are you going to ask her out?”

            Sam looked at him, startled. “What are you talking about?”

            “Dude, you are totally into Darcy.”

            “I am not. Man, you don’t know what you are talking about.”

            “I think he does,” Clint added.

            “You know,” Peter said as Sam reached his bedroom door. “She likes you.”

            The Falcon stopped in his tracks and peered over his shoulder. “For real?”

            “For real.”

            Peter didn’t miss the way the joy reached Sam’s eyes and his ears darken with a blush.

[][][]

            “Steve, where are we going?” Peter asked as they took the train. It was Friday after school. He had been about to meet up with Flash before his patrol when Steve had stopped him.

            The super-soldier just smiled. “You’ll see.”

            About half an hour later they were walking into a home for the elderly. Peter’s frown deepened as Steve checked into the front desk. The nurse gave him a sad smile.

            “She’s not having a very good day.”

            Steve nodded and, wordlessly, Peter followed him down the hall, curious to see who they had come to visit. They came to a stop by a door. Steve knocked softly before pushing it open and stepping inside. Peter entered the beige room tentatively. There was soft classical music playing in the background. He took in the woman on the bed, studying the gray hair and age lines. She was sleeping, connected to dozens of wires and machines. Peter felt his heart drop.

            Steve went over to her bed confidently, moving his hands over her frail ones and he motioned Peter closer.

            “Peggy?” Steve called softly. “It’s me. Steve.”

            Slowly the woman opened her eyes and searched the face hovering in front of hers. Eventually her eyes lit up with life and a smile crossed her face.

            “Steve? Oh, Steve. I’m sorry…”

            “Shhhhh. It’s okay, doll. Everything is okay. You did good.”

            A tear slipped down her cheek and Peter felt like he should leave but Steve pulled him closer to the bed.

            “Peggy, I want you to meet Peter.”

            “Oh. Is he your son, Steve? He is handsome just like you.”

            Peter flushed at the praise. It didn’t take him long to figure out this was the Peggy Carter. He had learned so much about her through his history courses and his uncle. To meet Steve Rogers was one thing but to meet Peggy Carter was an entirely different story. Peter was awestruck.

            Then just as quickly confusion filtered through her expression and she just stared at them. Peter’s heart broke. Then. It happened. The smile returned and she reached for Peter’s hand. He quickly latched onto hers as she laughed lightly.

            “Oh, Steve! Look at you! Don’t worry. I believe the serum will work. You’ll become the hero that the world needs right now.”

            Peter gaped at her, his heart thundering in his chest. He gently pulled his hand out of hers, and stepped away, unable to look either of them in the eye. It didn’t mean anything, he tried telling himself. She was just confused but that didn’t sit well with him. It felt so honest when she looked at him and said those things. It made something inside him shudder and struck a chord with him. Steve sat with her until she fell back to sleep and they left the room. Once they were outside, Peter turned on the super-soldier.

            “Why did you bring me here, Steve?”

            The older man frowned. “I wanted you to meet her.”

            He took in a shaky breath, turning away from him. Something about her reminded him of his aunt. It caused something to clench painfully in his chest because one day he’ll be visiting his aunt in the place like this.

            “Peter?”

            He didn’t respond. He was trying to blink back tears as the emotions threatened to overwhelm him.

            “Peter, what’s wrong?” Steve asked. It was an honest question. He was acting oddly in his own opinion.

            “I…It’s what she said. I know it’s stupid but…”

            “No. It’s not stupid. Peter, why are you so upset that she thought you was me?”

            “Because I’m not you! I can never be like you and…”

            Steve’s frown deepened. “You don’t have to be like me…” Then his blue eyes went wide in understanding as if all the pieces fell into place and everything made sense. Shock filtered through his expression before settling on an almost peaceful expression.

            “Peter, you are a remarkable young man in your own right.”

            “I’m not a hero,” Peter argued quietly.

            “You are one. You are smart and kind hearted. You know you don’t need to save hundreds of lives to be a hero. That little lady who is in Chicago right now? You are her hero. That man you smiled at on the bus? You are his hero. That mom with all those kids that you helped across the street? You are their hero. It’s not how smart you are or how strong you are or the great things you do in life that makes you a hero. It’s your compassion for others that makes you one.”

            “But, Steve…I have something to tell you¾” Peter’s heart was racing. He desperately wanted to tell Steve that he was Spider-Man but he wasn’t sure he could do it. He could feel the bile rising in his throat at the mere thought of it.

            Steve pulled him into a hug. “Don’t argue with your elders, kid. You are going to do great things. I just know it. I just wanted you to meet one of the most important people in my life before it’s too late.”

            Peter inhaled deeply and returned the hug. “Thank you, Steve.”

[][][]

            “Come on, Peter! Time to rise and shine! It’s going to be a glorious day filled with science and lots of fun!”

            Peter groaned as Darcy banged away on his door. He rolled out of bed, yelling, "I'm coming!"

"You have ten minutes! I want to get good parking."

Shaking his head, he quickly went to the bathroom to freshen up and get dressed. He paused by his dresser, looking at his camera, the one Gwen had given to him. He picked it up and wrapped the strap around his neck before grabbing his bag. 

Darcy was in the kitchen chatting with Steve. She grinned at him as he emerged. "You ready?"

"Uh, yeah."

"We'll get something to eat on the way."

Steve gave her a patient smile. "You two be careful. Here, Peter."

Peters eyes widened when Steve handed him some cash. It looked like a lot. "I can't take this."

"Yes, you can. It's in case of an emergency or you need to buy food."

"Which is an emergency for teenage boys," Darcy added. 

Peter hesitated before nodding uncertainly. "Okay. I'll just give you back the change."

Steve smiled and nodded in agreement. Peter put the money in his pocket and followed Darcy down to the garage. She drove one of those little smart cars that barely had enough leg room for Peter. 

"I'm so excited." She said as they pulled out. "Are you excited?"

"Yeah." Peter admitted. He actually kind of was. He liked Darcy. She was fun to be around and holding his camera made his fingers twitch as if they missed holding the boxy object. Grinning, he lifted the camera and snapped a shot of Darcy. She made an appalled noise before stopping at a red light and poising dramatically for the next picture. 

The ride to the expo was fun. They got fast food and ate in the car. They reached the convention center early and found parking close to the expo. They headed straight inside, Darcy talking about the new tech that was being shown. The expo was a lot bigger than the convention that he had gone with Tony to. Stark and Hammer industries were both present. Oscorp’s display wasn't that far off. They spent some time looking at smaller companies and the like. 

Peter took pictures of everything. He took pictures of people visiting and representatives showing off their tech. It was a lot of fun and it made him miss taking photos so much. They stopped at a booth labeled Sneicorp. Peter frowned at the name but the representative smiled at them cheerily. 

"Hi! Welcome to Sniecorp. We are the child company coming off of Oscorp."

Darcy took over talking to the man. He looked down at the displays that they had. There was one of robots. Ones that looked very similar to the ones that had attacked downtown a few weeks ago. Peter snapped a quick photo before moving onto the next display. It was a video talking about the dangers of mutants and their ever growing numbers and how the common people can combat them. One solution was a form of medication under a scientific name. Something twisted in his gut. He took as many pictures as he could, catching images of the people behind the booth and their tech. 

"Where are you guys located?" Peter asked, interrupting their conversation. 

"Oh," he began, "we are located outside of the city. Our CEO wanted to be located in a ... Scenic area."

Peter didn't press for an exact location to avoid looking suspicious. "Who is your boss?"

"Edward Sniegoski. A remarkable man. Brilliant and has a big heart." 

Peters heart skipped a beat as he inhaled sharply. No way. He couldn't believe this. They have been tracking this man for what seemed like forever and he just appears like this? It was a mockery. And to find out Oscorp was involved? Well that was just a punch to Peter’s gut. 

Darcy moved on after a moment and once they were out of hearing range she said, "Those are some serious dicks." 

"What makes you say that?"

"All their tech is targeting people who are super-powered. They are using fear to sell their product."

"Yeah, I noticed that."

"It's like that fucking politician."

"Wait. What politician?" Peter asked trying not to sound too startled. 

Darcy shrugged. "Some guy named Harvey McMillen. He's supposed to be running for mayor this year. He just came out of nowhere and his platform is that all super powered beings are menaces and need to be contained. No surprise that the Bugle is supporting him." 

"Shit."

"Yeah, I know. It's not looking good for our heroes. If this guy wins, he's going to overhaul the city with pigs that think like him."

Peter swore again, under his breath. His day just kept getting better but he knew that they all had connections. If he could just play this right and get the right kind of evidence, he can stop it all from coming to pass. He needed to talk to Wade. Shaking his head, he put his camera away and tried to enjoy the rest of his day with Darcy. It was hard because on the back of his mind he kept thinking about what was he going to do with this new information. 

They eventually left, heading back to Queens. Peter had his date with Wade in a few hours but he decided that he couldn’t wait any longer with this kind of information. “Hey, Darcy, can you drop me off around the corner?”

She looked hesitantly at him. “Uh, am I going to get in trouble with Tony or Steve? Neither I want to piss off. I mean have you seen Cap? He’s a golden retriever level adorable.”

            “I’ll call them and let them know. I’m just going to see Flash.”

            “Oh. He’s a friend?”

            Peter nodded. “Yeah.”

            “Okay. Well, I’m heading back to the tower. I’ll just let them know. Okay?”

            “Sure. Thanks, Darcy. I had fun today.”

            Her smile brightened. “I’m so glad! We totally should do it again.” She pulled up to the curb.

            “We should,” he replied as he got out. “Uh, I’ll see you later?”

            “Sure thing, little dude.”

            Peter smiled lightly as he watched her pull away and round the corner. Once she was out of sight, he headed for Wade’s apartment. Normally he came in through the window but today he went inside and climbed four flight of stairs until he was at Wade’s door. He paused, considering this was the first time he had ever just showed up at Wade’s place without being invited or brought here by the other man. Puffing his cheeks, he steeled his nerves and pounded on the door. For a moment nothing happened. He tried knocking again, longer this time.

            He heard a loud crash followed by a sharp, “Fuck!” Peter bit his lip to keep from laughing as he heard Wade stumble around the apartment. “I swear, Ms. Garcia, I do not have any fucking sugar to give you!”

            The door swung open to reveal Wade in his My Little Pony pajamas and his mask in place. Peter smirked as he said, “do you talk to all the little old ladies in your building like that?”

            “Only Ms. Garcia.”

            “Uh huh.” Peter stepped into the apartment when Wade stood back to let him in. He grunted when Wade jerked him into a hug. The angle was awkward but he slotted his mouth over Wade’s, despite the mask separating them.

            “So what did I do to get an early visit. You know our date isn’t until a few hours.”

            Peter pulled away, reaching to close the door Wade had left open. “I have news on Sniegoski.”

            “Oh? What’s our douche canoe up to?”

            “He is apparently CEO of a new company called Sniecorp.”

            “Talk about narcissistic.”

            Peter shrugged as he pulled his camera out of his bag and handed it to Wade. He set his things down and wondered into the kitchen while the merc searched the photos. He grimaced at the dirty space and the dismantled parts that look like explosives on the table. Shaking his head, he plucked a clean glass from the cabinet and filled it with water. Sipping, he waited to hear Wade’s thoughts. He didn’t have to wait long.

            “This bastard. How is this guy moving up the ranks like it’s no one’s business?”

            “It’s like nothing we are doing is slowing him down.”

            Wade made an annoyed noise. “I want to nail this guy’s balls to the wall.”

            Peter wrinkled his nose at the image that put in his head. “We need to plot what we already know.”

            “Oh? Like detectives. Let’s do it.”

            Peter raised his brows in confusion as Wade disappeared into his room before returning in full suit sans weapons. “To the store, Petey!”

            “Wait. Why?”

            “We need stuff.”

            An hour later, Peter was carrying plastic bags of stationary supplies while Deadpool carried a huge dry erase board. He set his bags down on the coffee table while Wade set up the board in the center of the living room.

            “It’s no longer about taking this guy out,” Wade said as he removed his mask. “It’s about seeing what Sparkle-dick’s end game is.”

            “We’ve had ideas.”

            “Yup. Let’s get to work.”

            Together they worked on piecing together what they knew. Sniegoski was written at the top of the board and circled in red. Next they labeled the mutant mercenaries they knew that he had under hire, including the one that Wade had killed. He received a black X over his label. Next they connected his illegal activities that included drug and human trafficking. They included names and companies that they had suspicions that were tied to their target. Oscorp stood out against the white, almost mocking him.

            By the time they were finished they already had several boxes of pizzas delivered to the apartment and have eaten through most of it. They were sitting on the couch, some action movie playing on the TV, while they looked at their work.

            “So this politician,” Wade began, humming in thought. “Harvey McMillen.”

            “He’s running for mayor this upcoming year. His stance is anti-mutant, super powered anybody.”

            “But he might be employing Sniegoski who is employing mercenary mutants.”

            “Yup. So, okay, Sniecorp. The company seemed to have taken on a lot of the stuff that HI and Oscorp had been working on when I went to the first convention with Tony.”

            “You think the big wigs are working together to create a baby company to keep their noses clean?”

            “Maybe but I don’t think directly. I don’t think they’ll suffer either way.”

            “So the picture you took showed robots who are supposed to be adept at stopping criminals especially those of the mutant variety. The medical research promises to help turn mutants human again. Not to mention the variety of weapons and body armor for police. It’s starting to smell like a dystopia in my opinion.”

            Peter grunted in response. “Okay but what’s the motivation? Power? Money?”

            “Revenge.”

            “Revenge?” Peter looked at Wade directly.

            The merc shrugged. “We know what the politician wants. That’s power and money. Sniegoski for sure wants those things as well because who doesn’t? The only thing predictable about a mad man is that they are mad. Trust me I would know.”

            “You aren’t crazy, Wade.” Peter replied patiently.

            “Well, you are the first to say that.”

            Peter reached out to grab Wade’s gloved hand. “They never bothered to get to know you. I think you are good person.”

            Something dark crossed over Wade’s features and Peter just knew that there wasn’t anything he could say to chase away whatever bad thoughts the man was having. Instead he leaned over and pressed a chaste kiss to Wade’s lips. The merc responded positively though as he suspected. A hand found its way up into his hair, dragging him closer, and his breath hitched as Wade’s tongue prodded into his mouth. He sighed as he opened up and let the stress roll off of him. Eventually he pulled away.

            “No matter what Sniegoski is up to we know where he is now. Sort of. A CEO backing a potential mayor of the city will show his face at some point.”

            “Right. Him and everyone involved won’t be seeing daylight ever again.”

            “Hopefully,” Peter said with a sigh. “I need to be heading back to the tower.”

            “This was not what I had planned for our second date.”

            He grinned, elbowing Wade as he got to his feet and began gathering his things. “Business before pleasure.” He picked up his camera where it had ended up on the table. “How about a picture? Of the two of us.”

            “Sure let me grab my mask.”

            “Without the mask, Wade. I mean it.”

            “It might break the lens.”

            Peter’s shoulders slumped and something filtered over Wade’s face. The merc caved and shuffled next to Peter. Wade leaned down so their faces were aligned and Peter snapped a couple of quick pictures of them. The last time he had taken photos of this kind were with Gwen. Something swelled in his chest, something that made him feel like he might choke on the emotions. He smiled at Wade as he bid him goodnight and left the apartment before Wade could make another poor joke about his butt.

[][][]

            He spent his Sunday in the lab, tinkering with some gadgets of Natasha’s. Tony and Bruce were arguing about how to do something. Typical. Eventually Tony sidled up next to him, leaning on the counter to watch him work for a moment. Peter paused and raised a brow at his godfather, waiting.

            Tony gave a light snort, a smirk crossing his features. “So how was your date last night?”

            If he had been still working, Peter was sure his hand would have slipped. Instead his eyes widened and his heart skipped. “M-my date? Wh-What do you mean?”

            “Darcy told us that you were meeting with Flash last night. Good job on coming home at a reasonable time too by the way. Oh, and you owe Darcy an apology for not letting her know that Flash is your boyfriend.”

            Peter groaned, feeling heat climb his neck. “Flash isn’t my boyfriend.”

            “I’ll believe that until you prove otherwise.”

            _If I did, you’d kill me_. Peter thought to himself, nearly shuddering at the thought of Tony finding out that he was actually seeing Wade, aka Deadpool, romantically and not Flash. He didn’t argue though. He just replied, “yeah, we had a good time. Just went to eat and talk. I was pretty tired after the expo.”

            Tony nodded in understanding. “So I was told that you got to meet Peggy.”

            “Gee, I wonder who told you that.”

            “Well, I heard you got upset.”

            Peter shot his godfather a look that he was sure that came off as annoyed, and waited to see where the man was going with this. Tony sighed.

            “I get it. We’ve had our rough patches since you moved in, Peter. Getting to know you has been one of the greatest pleasures I’ve had in my life and perhaps the greatest puzzle…I just want to check on you. I don’t want to jinx anything but these last few weeks you seem to be doing much better.”

            Peter ducked his head, embarrassed now for sure. “Yeah, uh, yeah. I’m doing better.”

            Tony clapped a hand on his should and gently squeezed. “I’m glad. So you have a birthday next week.”

            “I do.”

            “Well? What do you want for your birthday?”

            He rolled his eyes and shrugged. “I don’t know. I really don’t want anything.”

            “Tell you what. Think about it. Nothing is out of bounds.”

            Peter shook his head. “Whatever you say, Tony.”

[][][]

            Tony Stark never should have befriended Richard Parker. They met in the most unlikely of circumstances and yet him and the other scientist became very good friends. He was there when he met his wife and he had sent gift when they said “I do.” Then came the day that Richard had come to one of his extravagant galas and told him that they were expecting and asked to be their child’s godfather. Tony had readily agreed, knowing that he was one of Richard’s few close friends. On December 17th, he had sent a large bouquet and basket full of gifts to the Parker delivery room. Then a few months later, he went to stay with the Parkers for a few weeks. When he left, he didn’t hear from Richard Parker again. No one had known they were close much less Tony was the godfather of their child. He had learned of the Parkers’ death in a plane crash over the news. When a child wasn’t mentioned, Tony began his search and found himself on the doorstep of Ben and May Parker. They were a respectable couple, certainly better suited to take care of a child than Tony. They welcomed him into their home. He would never forget the first time he met Peter Benjamin Parker since he was just a newborn.

            The boy looked so small, wrapped in his father’s jacket. He recognized the worn brown leather and plaid interior. The boy looked tired and sad. He was quiet, eerily so and wasn’t eating no matter how much May tried. Despite the grief and confusion following the boy, he offered Tony a small shy smile and offered to show him his new book about insects. Tony didn’t like dealing with emotions but the tears ran down his face as he saw Richard in those big brown eyes and his excitement over bugs.

            Peter had paused in his squeaky lecture on the anatomy of spiders. “Why are you crying, Mr. Stark?” The look of worry on the child’s face should never exist.

            Tony swallowed hard, wiping the tears. “I was a friend of Richards’.”

            Peter nodded like that was the answer to everything in the world. “I miss Daddy too.”

 

            Tony kept in touch with the Parkers. He sent gifts and money to help with Peter’s care. Ben was a proud man but he certainly didn’t want Peter to go without. Peter had a very large college fund waiting just for him. May sent school photos, picture of Peter holding awards, mostly of science fairs and other tokens of accomplishments. Tony felt sparks of pride as he watched the boy grow into a fine young man. When he got the call that Ben had died and Peter was behaving rebelliously, Tony was shocked. He remembered telling May to give the boy time and if he didn’t straighten up Tony would get involved. The woman, bless her heart, held out for two years before she had grown sick with worry over her now teenage nephew. He proposed the idea that Peter should come live with him.

            Now Tony was mostly living between the new Avenger facility and a high rise condo with Pepper. The Avenger Tower was used as a research facility now but if Tony was going to live with Peter, they needed to be closer to Midtown. The old tower was the perfect location. He had called an Avenger meeting.

            They all wore the default serious expressions. Tony imagined they were waiting to hear bad news of some kind. He decided not to keep them waiting.

            “I’m moving back to the tower in New York.” He told them.

            He had been met with surprised looks. Steve asked, “why?”

            “I have a godson who will be coming to live with me for a while.”

            The surprise melted into shock. “You are a godfather?”

            Clint scoffed. “Who would trust you with their child?”

            “His name is Peter Parker. His father had been a good friend. I…He has hit a rough patch and his aunt is hoping that by living with me it can help him out.”

            “Rough patch?”

            Tony shrugged. “She doesn’t know. Just that he comes home late and bruised…Sometimes acts out. She’s hoping I’d be a good enough influence to straighten him out.”

            They sat in silence for a moment before Steve said, “Me and Buck will go with you. Maybe having more than one positive role model will help.”

            That is how they all ended up back in the penthouse. A week later him and Steve were loading Peter’s bags into the back of his car. The teenager looked on edge of falling apart. Fury darkened his features as he rode in the back seat. When he had the nerve to smart off to Captain America, Tony knew that he would have his hands full. He just never imagined that it would end up like this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow! I can't believe that we are at chapter 12! The love and feedback have been absolutely amazing. It gives me life and motivation even when I'm working through class work. 
> 
> I created two playlists on 8tracks in case you are interested in the type of music I'm listening to as I write Holding On. Here are the links: [Playlist 1](http://8tracks.com/jblue177/holding-on-a-spideypool-fic-playlist-1) and [Playlist 2](http://8tracks.com/jblue177/holding-on-a-spideypool-fic-playlist-2)
> 
> Thank you for reading!
> 
> Next update: September 25th!!!
> 
> EDIT: I may not be updating today. I have had other things come up but hopefully it'll be up either tomorrow or the next day. Thank you for your patience.


	13. To Be a Better Son

Peter felt good. Which was saying something. Normally life was kicking him in the gut. His birthday was today. He felt a little sad that he wasn't getting to spend it with his aunt but he had a very long conversation with her the night before so it didn't bother him too badly. He didn’t run into anyone on his way out for school.

Flash greeted him with a thump on the shoulder and a "Happy Birthday, dweeb"

The day flew by and he spent the afternoon Flash at the arcade and basketball court. He got multiple texts from Deadpool through the day. Each one made him smile. They eventually headed back to the tower where everyone was gathered and began singing Happy Birthday when they walked in. Peter just laughed and hugged everyone. The kitchen table had a stack of presents and cards next to a big cake. 

"Guys, you didn't have to get me anything."

"But we wanted too," Clint announced from where he sat on the kitchen counter. 

"Go ahead and open them," Steve said, handing him an artfully wrapped box. "This one is from Sam."

Biting his lip, he took it and carefully began removing the paper. It was a big, oblong box. He blinked in surprise as he opened it. It was a new skate board. His eyes flew to the Falcon's. "Are you for real?" 

Sam just grinned and Peter couldn't stop himself from hugging the older man. "Thank you."  

He went on unwrapping the gifts. Steve got him tickets to Mets baseball game. Which Peter thought was really cool. Next was a gift from Natasha. It was a knife. Small enough that it could fit in the lines of his clothing and never be detected and made of a strong metal so it won't snap under pressure. She promised to run him through some self-defense lessons with it. Clint got him a travel coffee mug that looked like camera lens. Bruce got him his own microscope. Tony gave him a new computer, already downloaded with all the tech any teenager could dream of. Bucky’s gift surprised him the most. It was a new camera and lenses. He knew it would cost an insane amount. It was nicer than anything he had ever owned. 

They ate take out from Peter’s favorite restaurant and then cake while watching movies together. He saw Tony pull Flash off to the side, obviously giving him a stern talk. Peter winced in sympathy and casted his friend a worried look. Flash just shrugged at him and smiled. Some of his worry loosened in his stomach and allowed him to enjoy the rest of the night. Clint and Sam made suggestive comments but other than that they were left alone. Flash seemed amused more than anything.

Eventually, he retired to his room where he relaxed before going to bed. His phone buzzed and Peter answered it, seeing that it was Wade.

“Hello?”

            He was greeted by loud dramatic rendition of the “Happy Birthday” song. Peter couldn’t help but smile through it. When he finished, Wade asked, “so how’s the birthday boy doing today?”

            “He’s doing good,” Peter replied with a smirk. “How are you?”

            “Thinking about you.”

            “Oh, yeah?”

            “Well, yeah. It’s not every day you get to turn eighteen. How does it feel to be legal?”

            “Feels about the same as it did yesterday.”

            Wade scoffed. “Then you aren’t spending your birthday the right way.”

            Peter laid down against his pillows on his bed. “And how should I be spending my birthday?”

            “How about me kissing you?”

            He hummed at the thought, recalling the previous kisses. How they felt so natural. Like a healing balm for his very soul. “Just kissing?”

            The merc was silent for a second before retorting, “Oh, it’ll be a kiss to top all kisses.”

            Peter bit his lip, his heart spiking in excitement. “I think you are bluffing.”

            “Don’t tempt me, baby boy, or I’ll be slipping through your bedroom window.”

            “My bed room is at the top of the Avengers’ Tower.”           

            “Won’t stop me. Not if I get to feel your body next to mine.”

            Peter shivered at the way Wade’s voice dropped and the man practically purred. “I’m eighteen now,” he prompted, vaguely wondering what he was getting himself into.

            “That you are. Tell me what the birthday boy wants for his birthday.”

            Peter knew an out when he saw one. His heart was fluttering in his chest and he felt blood rush south. He hesitated though. He wasn’t sure if he was ready for something like this just yet. “I just want to be with you, Wade.”

            “Are you free tomorrow night?”

            “I think I can open up my schedule.”

            Wade chuckled, a sound so amazing and genuine. He liked hanging out with Deadpool but Wade was something else altogether. Sometimes it amazed Peter how different the two could be. “How does dinner and a movie sound? I mean, that’s what young people do these days right?”

            “That sounds perfect.”

            They talked for a little longer. Peter noticed that Wade was quiet tonight. His voice losing some of its life and it had him frowning into the phone. Eventually, he asked, “is there something wrong, Wade?”

            “What? No. Everything is fine.”

            Peter didn’t press. Instead he said, “I look forward to seeing you tomorrow. Same time and place?”

            “Yeah. I’ll let you go. Growing boys need their rest.”

            Peter laughed. “Okay. Good night, Wade.”

            “Good night, baby boy.”

 

The next day, Peter’s stomach was tossing nervously. He wasn't sure what Wade intended with this birthday dinner. He knew that the merc joked constantly about them having sex. His sex drive had been next to nonexistent since Gwen passed away. He'd even checked to make sure that his equipment wasn't broken but never finished because he had lost interest. It made him worry if he would be able reciprocate if Wade did push things tonight. What would it mean if he couldn't? 

Shaking those doubts, he got dressed going for comfort more than dressy. He just layered a long sleeve under a graphic t-shirt. He pulled on the same tight black jeans he had on last time and his converses. Giving himself a once over, Peter headed out to the living room where he ran into Tony. 

"Hey, you going on a date with Flash?"

"Uh, yeah." He lied, wincing inwardly as remembering how Tony had pulled Flash to the side the other day. 

"Remember your curfew."

"But we are going to the late show." Peter said, recalling how Wade had told him the times. There were less people at the theater that late. 

"Fine. 12:30 manageable?"

"Yeah, I should be back by then. If I'm not. I'll call?"

"Do that. Have fun and stay safe."

"Yeah. Thanks. See you later."

"I'll be waiting."

Peter sighed in relief as he slipped out of the tower and headed towards their meet up place. Wade was already there, waiting, and dressed in similar hoodie-hat combo. It made him look intimidating but Peter wasn't put off. He boldly strolled up to the mercenary and reached out to him. 

"Hey, Wade. How are you?"

"Hey, baby boy. I'm doing about as well as someone with screaming voices in their head." 

Peter frowned as they began walking down the street. "What are the voices saying?"

"They are arguing about the best way to seduce you. You know since you are legal and everything. Yellow thinks we can pull it off but Whitey says that there is no way that you would want to have sex with someone who looks like they've been through a meat grinder."

Peters frown deepened. "Well, you can tell them both to shut their traps. If I didn't want this I wouldn't have done it to either us but the thing is I do want this, Wade."

The other man was silent for a moment. "I sometimes wonder why are you doing this."

"Doing what? Dating you?"

"Yeah."

Peter released a heavy breath but he didn't get mad. Not at Wade but everyone who had made Wade feel bad about himself in the past. 

"Because I see you, Wade. Not the persona you put on. I liked you from the very beginning. You make me laugh. I don't feel so alone when I'm with you. You know I'm Peter Parker and Spider-Man. I can share all the dark parts of my life with you." 

He stood close to Wade, reaching out and pulling him close despite the very public street. Wade wrapped his arms around Peter without much prompt. The man was warm and solid against Peter, his scent of detergent and gun oil grounding.

“It’s pretty dark in here,” Wade huffed against his hair.

“I’m used to being in the dark,” Peter whispered, nuzzling into the man’s shoulder.

Wade laughed lightly. “You are too good for me.”

Peter pulled back, seeing the pure emotion swimming in the merc’s dark eyes. “Maybe it is you who is too good for me.”

The man snorted, pulling back further. “Did you hit your head on the way here, Petey?”

            Peter shrugged, reaching out again to loop his arm through Wade’s since his hands were shoved in the pockets of his jacket. The cold night air bit through his thin long sleeved shirt. “So where are we going to eat? I’m starving.”

            Wade grinned. “Good because I know a place that has cheap prices, questionable but large quantities of food.”

            Through the night he tried not to dwell on Wade’s lack of confidence. It wasn’t overly surprising to see how it ran deep in the man. Peter was aware of some of Wade’s history and it only made sense that the merc was dealing with some serious issues but it didn’t scare Peter. If Wade was dangerous his spidey-senses would warn him. He wasn’t scared to deal with the older man’s emotional baggage because Peter knew he had plenty to share himself. Maybe they were just two broken people who had been screwed by life and that’s why they clicked so well together.

            They ate some sketchy Chinese restaurant that was ran by the nicest couple. They did eat a lot of food, Wade spending most of the time talking as if to drive the earlier conversation from memory but it wasn’t something Peter could forget about.

            The walk to the movie theater was a quiet one. That is until Peter felt his spidey-senses twinge almost painfully. He dropped to the ground, dragging Wade with him. Bullet holes littered the ground just a few feet ahead of them, coming from behind. Wade was moving then, pushing Peter between two buildings. People were screaming and running to get out of the line of fire. Peter felt for his mask but Wade clasped his hand over his. He looked up at the merc with a questioning gaze and saw Wade shake his head beneath the hood. Silently, Wade pointed out onto the street.

            Peter leaned out slightly to see the super-strength woman dropping from a roof as if it wasn’t a four story drop. She had a gun laid casually over her shoulder. She was walking towards them.

            “She might not know you are Spider-Man. Let’s wait and see, okay?”

            “Okay.”

            Wade pulled out a gun from beneath his coat and walked out onto the street. Peter could hear the sirens coming this way. He stayed in cover though, watching and listening.

            “Where’s your little boyfriend?”

            “Who Spider-Man? I’ll have you know we are not that way. He’s a little bit too much of a stick in the mud for my tastes.”

            “No, that little cutie that was just with you.”

            Peter’s heart was racing but at least he knew that she didn’t know he was Spider-Man. He crept further into the shadows, planning on quick slip and change.

            “Oh. Him? What would you want with him?”

            “It seems only fair that I kill your lover since you killed mine,” she snarled.

            “Oh, that crazy guy with the fire? Really, honey, you could do better. I mean you got looks, brains, and the power to snap men in half.”

            That seemed to piss her off enough as she screamed, throwing the gun away to charge at Wade. Peter darted down the ally and scaled the building, listening to the fight. Once on the roof, he stripped his street clothes and donned his mask before swinging down to help Wade. On the downward slope of the swing he kicked his feet out before colliding into her, sending her sailing as he landed in a crouch before running to Wade. The merc was bleeding from the face but it looked like his injuries were already healing. He yanked the man to his feet just as his senses flared and the woman had kicked him in the side. He hit hard, tumbling and rolling across the pavement before coming to a stop.

            He lunged to his feet and darted back over to where Wade was fighting her. She knocked him hard in the jaw and he crumbled like a sack. She rounded on him.

            “We have got to stop meeting like this.”

            “I’d kill you too if I could.” She snapped, throwing her weight at him.

            Peter dodged, catching a clip to his midsection. He grunted under the force before she pushed on top of him, her hand circling his throat and squeezing. He struggled beneath her, clawing and yanking on her with all his strength. He managed to get a purchase on her jacket and jerk her off to the side. Just enough so he could get his feet under him. He coughed and spluttered as he gasped for air.

            Then a number of cop cars surrounded them. The woman seemed to hesitate, eyeing them as they struggled to their feet. With a cold sneer, she disappeared down the street. Peter felt his senses twinge again as police pointed their guns at them. He hurriedly grabbed Wade and carried them away from the scene, bullets flying pass them.         Peter landed on the roof, easing Wade to the concrete.

The merc asked, "how are you holding up, Spidey?"

"Just wishing people would stop strangling me" 

"Do you get strangled on the regular?"

"It's beginning to feel like it."

"Okay. We’ll add it to the hard limits on our kink list. That's fine. I don't get pleasure out of choking my bed partners." 

Peter just shook his head as he collapsed next to the man, feeling drained. His throat hurt and his torso ached from where she had managed to land a few hits. "She wants to get revenge for what you did."

"Not the first time I've been someone's target but this time you are it."

"We have got to figure out a way to catch her."

"I bet SHIELD has tech that can restrain her."

"Yeah. I'll ask Clint and see what he says. He said he'd help me any way he can. Maybe he'll make good on that."

Wade grunted in response, clearly as drained as Peter felt. After a moment of silence, he spoke again, "she said something to me I didn't understand."

"What was it?" Wade asked. 

"She said that she couldn't kill me no matter how badly she might want to. Why try to kill you but then not do the same to me?"

"Maybe she has orders not to let you die."

"But why?"

They shared an earnest look with one another. "I don't know."

After another moment of just listening to the city around them, Wade shifted. "Not how I planned the night to end."

Peter smiled. "It's okay. I had a good time."

Wade moved again and Peter realized that the man was getting nervous. "I got you something for your birthday."

The man pulled out a small box and held it out to Peter. It was wrapped in newspaper and duct tape. Peter took it without question and unwrapped the small box, sensing Wade’s uneasiness. He opened the cardboard box, and he gaped at the jewelry that sat nestled on a bed more newspapers clippings. 

"I know it's early in the relationship and all that jazz but I had the idea and I wanted to do something nice and I hope you like it because you know..."

Peter lifted the two necklaces out of the box. It was bullet pendants. They looked like rifle ammo. He squinted as he caught sight of writing on the back of each. He carefully read them. One said, “Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times” and the other read “If one only remembers to turn on the light.”

He looked up into the merc’s open face and felt his heart skip as Wade fidgeted. He didn't know what he expected but it surely wasn't this. “Is this Harry Potter?”

“Well, Harry Potter is our thing, right? I mean our friendship is built on HP marathons and memes. I mean we are compatible as a Slytherin and Hufflepuff.”

 Peter found himself leaning forward to wrap his arms around the merc. "I love it. Thank you." He pulled back. "Which one do you want?"

"It's your big day." Was the man’s reply. 

Smiling, Peter held up the ‘Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times’ pendent.

 "Put it on me?" He asked.

Tentatively, Wade did as he asked and Peter returned the favor, kissing Wade as he fixed it in the front. "Thank you. Why did you pick this?"

"The lives we live, I just hope that you’ll look at and remember that not everything is so dark. It’s just as much for me as it is for you.”

"That is pretty heavy, Wade."

"Well you know me. Go big or go home."

Peter laughed at that and held the merc’s hand. "I'm not scared. I accept who you are even when others don't."

"That's all I can ever hope for, baby boy."

"You know it's just the right level of quirky and sweet."

Wade grinned at that. "It was a big toss-up between those or heart pendants that said 'zombie apocalypse survival partners'."

Peter snorted. "I love it. Thank you." They lapsed into silence and he shuddered as a cold wind cut through his clothes and suit. Wade suddenly shifted, removing his jacket and holding it out to him. 

"I can't take your coat."

"I'm fine. Just take it. Please?"

Peter pulled on the fleece lined plaid jacket and zipped it up until it closed around his neck. The shivers immediately stopped. They left shortly after that. Peter felt warm and content on the inside and out. When they reached their parting spot he tried giving the jacket back to Wade but he insisted that Peter keep it. Wade kissed him slow and sweet and made an offhand comment about wanting to see Peter in his clothes more often. Peter was blushing as he walked back to the tower just before midnight. It was earlier than he said he was going to be but he was sure that no one would mind. 

The front rooms were empty and Jarvis greeted him. "Everyone has retired. Sir is in the labs."

"Oh. Can you tell him I made it back? I'm going to bed."

"Of course, sir. Good night."

He slipped into his room and locked the door behind him. His body aches but he wasn't bothered by it. Instead he just stripped off his clothes and draped Wade coat over the back of his chair. He can worry about his injuries and the woman tomorrow. Right now he just wanted to feel blissfully unaware and think about Wade. 

[][][]

Peter stumbled to the kitchen, half asleep after such a late night dealing with crazy super powered people. He mumbled in response to the chorus of good mornings sent his way. He went straight to fixing himself a cup of coffee. It was only after a moment he noticed everyone had fallen very silent. He felt his spidey-senses twinge. He went from being dead on his feet to wide alert. 

The closest person to him was Sam and his jaw was dropped in shock. Peter looked to the others to find their eyes locked on him. He shuffled nervously. 

"Uh, what?"

"Your neck..." Someone began but he wasn't sure who because the next thing he knew Tony was on him and grabbing his head. Peter had to squash down his flight response because he would have flung himself to the ceiling from the look that his godfather had. 

Tony forced his head up and stilled when Peter visibly flinched, yanking his hands away. Peter looked into his godfather’s dark eyes, struggling to decipher what he saw there. 

"Who did this to you?" Tony asked. 

Peter only frowned at him. "Did what?"

Natasha appeared, phone in hand with the front camera on. Peter took it from her and angled it so he could look at his neck. His jaw went slack. Around his neck was a bruise in the shape of handprint. Where the fingers had wrapped around was glaringly obvious. His stomach dropped as he looked up at Tony. 

"Tony, it's not what you think. I swear..."

"Who did that to you?" 

Peter floundered for a response. He clamped his mouth shut, unsure what to say. Everything had been going so well. Now what was he supposed to say? He looked around and saw the various worried looks around the room. Steve was oddly silent, watching him with a worry but there was something else there that confused Peter. He didn't have time to dwell on it because Tony moved towards him again. 

The man lifted the front of his shirt, displaying the mess of bruises that covered his torso. Peter watched Tony's reaction carefully. He could see that his breath had become a little faster and his eyes were glazing with moisture. 

"Oh, Peter..." Darcy gasped as she came in, her eyes widening at the sight of him. 

Peter was lost. He didn't know what to say to Tony. So he stayed silent, waiting to see where Tony would go with this. 

"Did... Did Flash hurt you?"

Wow. Peter wasn't expecting that. He felt his stomach drop at the inclination though. He jerked back and gave his godfather a look that must have been panicked. 

"What? No! Flash would never hurt me." 

Tony watched him for a second. "Are you being abused by someone?"

"No, Tony. I can't believe that you are...I'm just not. Okay? We ran into some guys from Brad’s group and they started some shit."

"So if I call Flash right now and get him to come over. Is he going to be bruised from this fight?"

Peters jaw dropped before he closed his mouth again and looked away. This was looking bad but he can't allow the Avengers to think that Flash was abusing him. The thought was so ludicrous and insane given the situation it took so much effort to just not laugh in his godfather’s face. 

"Tony, no... That's not the case."

"Then what is it?"

"I..." Peters heart was racing. 'I am Spider-Man' is on the tip of his tongue, causing him to feel panic swell inside his chest. He took a deep breath, thinking through everything and his eyes widened as a thought came to him. "Street fighting."

Tony's frown deepened. "Excuse me?" 

Peter took in a shaky breath. "It's street fighting. I have been street fighting for a while now. Last night I lost a match." 

Tony jerked back, visibly shocked. Peter took a second to assess everyone else's expressions and saw varying levels of surprise and curiosity. For several moments his godfather didn't say anything until he snapped, "explain."

"For months now. I've been attending street fights. I know a place. I've made a lot of money doing it. More than I made at the Bugle taking pictures of Spider-Man. Tony, I..."

"How stupid are you?" Tony yelled at him causing Peter to flinch again but the older man didn't seem worried about it this time. 

"Tony..."

"No! Goddammit, Peter!" Something crashed and Peter looked up to see that Tony had knocked over a mug. He wrapped his arms around his middle, afraid to say anything. 

"You are smarter than that! You can get killed. Do you understand that? Why would you do something so foolish?"

Peter shook his head. Tears blurred his vision. He ducked his head. How could this happen? To them? His heart was racing and clenching all at the same time. Why was his life such a fucking shit pile of unfortunate events? 

"I'm sorry..."

"You say that a lot." Tony bit out, sounding bitter. Peter took a cautious step back. "So you are telling me every time you've missed curfew and were hurt, you were fighting some shit heads on the street for a few bucks?"

"Tony…" 

"What else should I know? What other secrets do you have?"  

"Nothing. That's it. I swear."

"I wish I can believe you."

That felt like the worst kick to the gut Peter had ever gotten. Tony wasn't even looking at him anymore. Everyone was deadly silent. He glanced around and saw grim expressions on everyone's faces. Darcy looked like she was blinking back tears. Steve looked ready to jump in but was holding himself back. No. This was between Peter and Tony.           

"That's... I deserve that." Peter began slowly, swallowing against the tightness in his throat. "Ever since I got here I've been lying to you. Sometimes I don't know what's true anymore. I've been running away from my problems. I've yelled at you and acted out and said some pretty horrible things and you were just a guy trying to keep a promise to his friend." 

Peter paused, scrubbing a hand through his hair. "I can't... Tony, you can't save everyone. You can't save me." 

That got a sharp look from his godfather. "What do you mean?" 

"I'm... It's nothing."

Tony looked ready to explode again but then he gave a quiet, "get out of my sight." 

Peters breath hitched and suddenly he had to get away. He ran to his room, heart racing. He was frozen, unsure what to do. He was about to fall completely apart. He could almost feel the seams snapping on his hold. He picked up his phone and dialed the first name that appeared. 

"You've reached the Spidey-team hotline. Please leave your message after the beep. BEEP." 

"Wade," Peter cried brokenly as he sank to the floor in the corner of his room. 

"What's wrong?" Wades voice snapped from cheery to worried. 

"Tony and me. We just had a fight."

"What about?"

Peter sniffed deeply, stuttering through tears as he tried to explain. "He, they, saw the bruises from last night’s fight. They thought Flash did this to me. I couldn't let them believe that. I told them about the street fights and Tony just blew up. I don't know what to do. He hates me."

"Peter, breathe. Listen to me. In and out." 

He wasn't sure how long Wade talked him through the panic attack. Eventually the gross sobbing tapered off into small sniffles and he moved from his cramped position on the floor to his bed where he curled up with Wade’s jacket pillowing his head. Wade was singing on the other end of the line, having realized that Peter wasn’t responding to his chatter. He vaguely realized that the merc had a really nice voice.

[][][]

            Peter woke up a little while later with his eyes puffy and feeling absolutely drained. He didn't come out of his room for most of the day even when pains of hunger tempted him. The way Tony looked at him... He never wanted someone to look at him like that again. It had cut him straight to the core. He just wanted to escape. He knew that it would be bad but he had to keep telling himself that it was better than him knowing the truth. It had to be. 

Sometime in the late afternoon, there was a knock on his door. He ignored it at first, too comfortable in his cocoon of blankets and in the middle of binge watching Parks and Recreation on his lap top. However, the knocking continued and he extracted himself from his bed, feeling unamused. Sam stood in the door way looking about as determined Steve does on a regular basis. 

"You are coming with me."

"Where?" Peter asked as he followed the soldier out into the hallway. 

Sam didn't say anything as they walked into the living room. Peter paused as he took in the amount of food piled on the living room table and everyone relaxing in various places. It looked like they were staging a movie night. He looked to Sam, ready to protest, when Bruce dragged Tony into the room. He was just about to flee completely without a word. 

Him and his godfather stared at one another for a moment before Peter looked away first. What was he going to say? Sorry? There was nothing he could say that could possibly make this right. Darcy chose then to bounce over and grab his hand and lead him over to the couch. She sat him down towards the center with her by the arm rest. Steve and Bucky were reclined to his other side. Darcy threw a blanket over him and offered him food. Peter lightly shook his head, tracking Tony's movements. If the older man was going to attack him, he wanted to be prepared. 

Darcy gave him a worried frown, glancing at where Tony was forced to sit by Bruce. The man wasn't looking at him. Natasha turned on the movie once everyone was settled. Batman came on and everyone chatted as they ate and watched the movie. Peter curled in on himself. He didn't feel right sitting here. Like he was too big for his own skin. Like he might just burst apart at the slightest touch. He felt like this when Gwen died. 

"I like your necklace." Darcy said suddenly, pulling him into the conversation. 

He glanced down at where the bullet sat against his chest. He removed it so she could get a better look. She read the engraving out loud, “‘Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times.’ Is that a Harry Potter quote?”

“Yeah.”

“Where did you get it?"

"Uh, my boyfriend got it for me. He has one too."

Darcy's eyes lit up. "Oh. What does his say?"

"If one only remembers to turn on the light." Peter recited softly, missing Wade even as he said it. 

Darcy was grinning like a fool. "I love it. I wish someone would do something cute like that for me."

"Yeah. He doesn't act like it but he's really sentimental."

Darcy shifted closer, obviously excited by the topic. "Oh? Tell me more about your man."

Peter hesitated. It was obvious the others were listening. They weren't even trying to hide it. He knew he had to say something. "He's... He has his faults but he's everything I could possibly hope for... I didn't think I could be that way with anyone after Gwen."

Darcy nodded in understanding before grinning wolfishly. "So have you two done the horizontal tango?"

Peter snorted at that, flushing as others complained about the question. She huffed. "It's an honest question. And don't none of you act like you don't want to know."

"You are a grad student and that’s the grammar you use?" Clint voiced from his perch. 

"Shut your trap, Robin Hood." She tuned back to Peter. "Well?"

Peter shook his head, biting back a laugh. "I’m not going to answer that."

"Really? Shame. Is he a good kisser?"

Peter was really beginning to turn red as he fidgeted nervously. He glanced around and caught everyone waiting for his reply. Even Bucky had leaned forward so he could see Peter around Steve. 

"Yes, he's a good kisser."

"Well, I gotta know what was your first kiss like? Was it after a romantic date? Spontaneously after a heart felt moment?"

Peter just grinned. Of course he couldn't tell her the truth. She was thinking of Flash, not Wade. And the story would mean revealing everything. "You honestly want to know?"

"Yes!" She shifted so she was on her knees like a happy puppy. 

"He kissed me so I could pass him a hit." How much more trouble could he possibly get in?  

"Pass him a hit...? Go ahead. You smoke pot?"

"No. It was one time... At that party," he offered in explanation. 

Tony looked like he was seething when Peter dared to look over at him. Peter dropped his eyes. "It was not one of my proudest moments."

Darcy smiled. "Oh, don't beat yourself up about it, Peter. Everyone has tried pot at some point. No one blames you."

"Darcy," Tony bit out in warning. 

Peter blinked in surprise at the fury that entered her dark eyes. "What the hell is your problem, Stark?" She got on her feet, hands on her hips. "Seriously what crawled up your ass and died? You haven't even looked at Peter since you walked in here. You just going to sulk and ignore your godson like a child? Guess what, Tony, he's human. He's going to make mistakes but pretending he doesn't exist isn't going to help anyone. If anything it hurts Peter."

No one said a word. Tension filled the room. Sounds of the movie offering the only comfort. Darcy huffed angrily. 

"Peter, do you have something you want to say to resting-bitch-face over there?"

"What's there to say?" Peter ask, frowning at Darcy. He stood too, suddenly feeling vulnerable. "Look, Darcy, stay out of it. It's not your problem."

"Like hell it is, Peter. Do you know how often these guys talk about you? How often they worry. We are like a family and you are a part of this family. No matter how broken or fucked up we all are but we take care of each other. So it's my business when someone is being a dick to someone else."

Peters breath hitched. Something she said pushed him over the edge. He moved away from her, fleeing to his bedroom. She called after him. Tears were falling down his face. Why? He wished he fucking knew. He's been barely holding his shit together all day now whatever fragile hold he had was broken. He pulled on Wade’s jacket and some shoes before grabbing his bag. He stalked back out toward the elevator. 

Darcy looked regretful and Steve stood when he saw his attire. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going home."

"What?"

"Home, Steve," Peter bit out harshly. "You know where I'm supposed to be. Not here."

"Peter," Darcy began but Peter shook his head. "It's fine, Darcy. I don't want to be here anyway."

He waited by the elevator, tense, waiting for Tony to stop him. The elevator dinged and the doors slid open. He stepped on and Tony didn't say anything. Part of him actually wished that he would. That Tony would yell at him to stay. Anything. Peter felt his face crumble as the doors slid closed and no one tried to stop him. He ran all the way to Wade’s apartment not caring how he looked or if someone was following him. He ran hard, not pausing until he was on Wade’s door step, pounding on his door. 

As soon as the door opened, Peter threw himself into the room and cried into Wade’s chest unable to hold it together any longer. At some point Wade had moved them to the couch, pulling him close and talking constantly as Peter sobbed. 

"I just want..." He finally managed. 

"Want what?" Wade asked. 

"I don't fucking know!"  

"I think you do. Let it out."

"They treat me like I'm family. Like I’m one of them but I'm not. I shouldn't be. I don't deserve to be. If they ever find out I'm Spider-Man and I've been hiding right under their noses what is that going to do to us? Tony won't even look at me and that's just because he thinks I've been in a few street fights. How is he going to react when he finds out I'm Spider-Man?"

Peter stood and began pacing, breathing hard. Wade let him go on. 

"I mean things aren't perfect between us but at least we've managed to be friends but the Avengers don't even like me as Spider-Man. They told me to stay away from them. I've been lying to them so much I can't even keep up any more. I am so tired of this. I hate it. I just want things to go back to the way they were before."

The anger coursed through him, hot and powerful.  He threw his fist right through the wall. The pain that laced up his hand and arm, snapped him out of whatever emotional turmoil he was dealing with. He took several deep breaths before pulling his arm out of the wall and turning to Wade. The merc was silent as he led Peter into the bathroom and turned on the sink. He stripped Peter of the coat and shirt before any more blood could get on it. There was a gash on his arm he saw as Wade cleaned away the blood. He wrapped it in gauze while it healed. 

"Shouldn't keep anger like that bottled up, baby boy." 

Peter made a bitter noise as he sat down on the toilet, looking at the wall without really seeing it. "I'm supposed to be Spider-Man. I can't just explode every time I get pissed."

"That's your first problem," Wade said as he leaned against the wall arms crossed over his chest. Since storming into the apartment Peter was just now realizing how little clothes the merc was wearing. The least had seen him in has been long sleeve shirts and sweats. Right now Wade wore a black tee that was a little big but not so much Peter couldn't see the muscles beneath the fabric and athletic shorts. He stared at the scars stretching over Wade's flesh before looking away knowing it would make the man uncomfortable. 

"What's that?" Peter asked as he remembered that Wade had said something. 

"Is that you still try to be Spidey even when you are Peter. You are allowed to act un-heroically from time to time."

"What am I going to do, Wade? They'll figure it out eventually. I won't be able to cover this much longer."

"Probably not. What would happen if they did know?"

"I don't know. I always imagined SHIELD would force me into their ranks and or make me stop being Spider-Man. As for the Avengers? Before they wouldn't have cared but now I have no idea what they would do. They see me as this troubled kid who they apparently think of as one of them."

Wade huffed dramatically. "Well, you are a troubled kid. You are dating me."

"And what does that say about you?"

"Hey. I never once said I was sane or moral enough. It's typical for me."

Peter gave a small smile and stood to wrap his arms around the man. He noticed the way Wade seemed to melt, his body wrapping around his easily. 

"Can I stay the night?" He asked, lightly inhaling wades scent. 

"What kind of man am I if I say no? You can stay as long as you want."

"Thank you."

Peter returned to the living room to pick up his bag and carried it to the bedroom. He was glad that he had the mind to grab his computer before storming out. He pulled it out and set it up on the bed as Wade approached him with some clothes. He politely shook his head. 

He toed off his shoes and dropped his pants, leaving him in only his boxers. He flushed as Wade gaped at him. Peter fidgeted under the scrutiny. 

"Is this okay?"

Wade made a strangled noise before nodding. "Uh huh. More than okay."

Peter crawled beneath the covers and settled facing the wall with his computer in front of him. "What do want to watch?"

"Wait. You want cuddle time, watching Netflix?"

"Well, duh."

"Oh, fuck yes!"

The bed bounced as Wade flopped down next to him and wormed up to Peter’s back, his arm snaking around his waist and his scarred cheek coming to rest on his shoulder. 

"You pick what to watch."

"I was watching Parks and Recreation."

"Yes. I live to see the Guardian of the Galaxy before he became the Guardian of the Galaxy."

"What?" Peter frown as he pulled up the episode he had been on.

"Don't worry about it."

They fell silent as the episode began. Wade made commentary, his breath dusting along his skin causing his hair to stand on end. Peter thought he would just fall asleep once he was settled but the way Wade’s fingers moved over his stomach was completely distracting. 

"You know, Wade, if you want to have sex I'm game."

The man stilled completely and for a second Peter thought he broke the man. He turned slightly to see Wade frowning intensely at the screen. 

"Well?"

"Shhhh. I'm trying to concentrate."

Peter felt a grin begin on his lips. "On?"

"On whether or not it would be considered taking advantage of you while you had been emotionally compromised. I mean sex should be safe, sane, and consensual. We only hit two in that ball park when I'm involved. I mean I personally think you are insane to want to have sex with me."

"Well. I want to. This is me fully consenting. I am not emotionally compromised... But if you aren't ready I'm okay with it."

"Oh, fuck. Come here." Peter was rolled onto his back as Wade moved over him, his mouth falling on Peter's in a languid kiss. Peter wasn't even sure what he was doing as he wound his arms around Wade but he knew that he wanted a distraction and this seemed to be the best idea. 

Kissing turned out to be an amazing distraction. Especially when Wade pushed his tongue into his mouth in a dominating way that left Peter breathless. The merc's hand trailed through his hair, gripping it gently as he pulled away and moved his lips along his jaw line before coming to a stop right under his ear. Peter shivered as the man nipped the sensitive flesh before soothing the pain with a swipe of his tongue. 

He reached out, moving his hands along Wade’s shoulders and down his arms. He felt every bump, every irregular pattern across his flesh. He wasn't turned off by it. If anything it turned him on knowing that Wade trusted him so much to reveal this much skin. He kissed the man above him harder, craning his neck up so he could press their mouths together. Wade shifted, a leg slipping between Peter's bringing in a whole new realm of sensations. 

Peter trailed his hands down the merc’s chest and down his stomach before slipping his hands beneath the shirt. He stilled as Wade tensed at the touch. Peter pulled back to look up at the merc. Wade’s eyes were intense with emotions that Peter couldn't explain. They were both breathing heavily and Peter felt hot from his face down to his chest. He was sure that he was flushed. 

"It's okay," Peter said, his voice trembled slightly. "Just tell me if I do something you don't like."

Wade wagged his head. "It's not that... Just don't want you running out on me when you see my whole body."

"Wade," Peter sighed before flipping them over so he was straddling the man’s waist. "How about you give me a little more credit?" 

"How much credit are we talking? I mean like a lot or a little? And what's the interest on it?"

"Wade, stop rambling… Just for a moment." Peter grinned, feeling something loosen in his chest. "Do you trust me?"

Wades eyes widened dramatically. "Of course, baby."

"Then will you let me show you how much I am not bothered by your body?"

"Uh, yeah."

"Promise you'll tell me if I do anything you don't like?"

"I'll like anything you do to me, baby boy."

"I mean it, Wade."

"I promise."

"Good."

He hesitated for a moment, realizing that he had never actually had sex with another man. Sure he had seen his fair share of gay porn but he had only actually been with Gwen.

"Uh, just FYI. You are my first guy that I've actually been with?"

"Oh. That's a little important to know."

Peter rolled his eyes and returned his attention to the body beneath him. Now he was really noticing how big Wade was just in general. Tall, broad shouldered, and very muscular. Peter, while he sported his own very proud set of sinewy muscles, he had nothing on most of the other male superheroes. He still remained lanky and clumsy, feeling awkward in his own skin most days. Getting super powers had done nothing to curb the awful teenage years. He took a calming breath and smiled at Wade who was beginning to look worried. 

He pecked a quick kiss to Wade’s lips before moving his hands down over his chest and stomach. Peter settled his hips right over the man’s groin, feeling his length through the thin material of his underwear and his shorts. He noticed Wade biting his lip as he began lifting the shirt.

“Talk to me, Wade.”

“Are you sure you want me to do that? I can ramble while having sex. I’ve run off bed partners because of it.”

Peter snorted lightly. “I believe you but I’m not easily scared. Talk if that’s what makes you comfortable.”

“I’m a man,” Wade replied gruffly as Peter finally managed to work off his shirt. “We don’t talk feelings. What are those?”

Peter kissed him lazily, hands exploring the newly revealed skin before his eyes really could. He leaned back, biting back his own groan as the movement applied just the right friction to his groin. The same scars covered the rest of his body, twisting and marring and discoloring the flesh. For a split second he wished he knew Wade before the scars but then immediately shoved the thought away. There was something…ethereal about Wade’s appearance. Maybe it was the setting sun streaming through the curtains. Maybe it was just his own state of mind but he couldn’t help but think that Wade was something to behold.

“Beautiful,” he said, because he believed that was a word that Wade could latch onto.

“Aw, you are just saying that.” Wade scoffed, hands coming to rest on Peter’s hips.

“If I am, does it not matter? I think you are beautiful, Wade.”

The merc answered with silence and Peter took that as a sign to continue. Just now he wasn’t sure how to proceed. He knew the ultimate end game was to have Wade coming in his hand or mouth. He hasn’t decided if he was ready to actually suck a dick. At the same time, he wanted to make sure that Wade enjoyed himself. Peter wanted Wade to feel like Peter wanted him for his body as much as he did for his mind. This was his chance to do just that.

Taking another calming breath, he tried to ignore the way his heart fluttered in his chest. He leaned down to kiss Wade again figuring that was a good place to start. He ghosted his lips over the man’s jaw, taking in the uneven texture. His hands trembled as they moved along the rough skin, taking in every scar but he wasn’t turned off. If anything he felt determined to chase away both their insecurities and whatever else that held them back.

Peter nipped at the skin along his neck, blowing raspberries as he went and watched the bruises heal within seconds of him leaving them behind. His hands moved lower as he listened to Wade moan and his hands tightened reflexively. Peter slipped his hand over the bulge of his shorts, applying a firm pressure that would have driven himself insane. Obviously it had the same effect on the merc because Wade bucked his hips and forcefully pulled Peter down into a kiss, shoving his tongue into Peter’s mouth unceremoniously.

Peter kept up the friction for a moment longer, trying to ignore the way his own cock twitched in interest. He gasped as Wade moved down and bit the sensitive skin under his jaw. Peter got the message and slipped his hand beneath the waist band of Wade’s shorts and grabbed hold of his cock. The scars didn’t feel as prominent on his privates but they were there. He wasn’t put off about it but the angle was awkward. Still, he tried servicing Wade in ways that he knew he liked it. He began lazily stroking Wade as he kissed him along his chest, searching for sensitive areas. Wade would jerk when his tongue passed over a particularly receptive spot. Most of his focus was on giving Wade the best hand job he could pull off.

Soon Wade was thrusting his hips up, chasing the sensations. Peter kept the pace steady, squeezing and pulling in all the ways he knew that he enjoyed personally.

Wade huffed out, “I’m about to come.”

Peter moved back up to his face, nipping at the lobe. “Then come for me, handsome.”

He could see the way Wade’s eyes were blown wide with lust and after a deliberate twist and focused attention to the head of Wade’s cock, Peter felt Wade shudder beneath him and his cock twitch as come coated his fingers. He continued to stroke the merc through the orgasm before pulling his hand out of his shorts. He looked down at the semen that covered his hand before deciding to just wipe it clean on his shirt.

Peter yelped when Wade suddenly flipped them over. The mercenary smirked down at him. “Time for me to return the favor, eh?”

“Role playing as a Canadian in the bedroom, Wade?”

Wade tisked at him. “Who said anything about role playing? I am Canadian, born and true.”

“I know,” Peter said, grinning. “I’m just messing with you.”

“Well, I’m about to make a mess out of you.”

“Well? I’m waiting.”

“Oh. Fuck.”

Wade mashed their mouths together, hands roving firmly over Peter’s chest. His breath hitched when Wade pressed a little too hard on still healing bruises. It wasn’t a bad pain. If anything it felt good. He arched into the man’s touch, craving more of anything he had to offer. Wade focused acute attention to his nipples. Now Peter had never been one to get off on nipple play but after one particularly sharp tug, Peter felt like he could come just from that. He was panting, his face and chest felt hot. He swallowed hard and canted his hips against Wade’s leg, fingers digging into the thick muscles of Wade’s shoulders.

Wade was a biter and liked leaving hickies apparently because as the man moved down to his naval there was a fucking trail of blooming red bruises. He shuddered as Wade left another below his belly button. Scarred fingers slowly lowered his boxers as if giving Peter time to stop him if he wanted. Peter’s cock twitched almost painfully as he gasped out, “don’t stop.”

“Only if you tell me to.”

Peter shivered as his breath ghosted over the sensitive head. Fortunately, Wade’s teasing was done because he swallowed Peter’s length down in one go. Wade pinned his hips to the bed but Peter really had to fight to keep from arching off the mattress. He trembled as Wade bobbed his head, sucking on the way up and swirling his tongue around the tip.

“Fuck, Wade,” Peter gasped, coherent sentences beyond him. “I’m about to…”

He wasn’t sure what Wade did but the next moment he was coming, gasping loudly. He went limp against the bed, coasting through the aftershocks until he could form words again.

“That was good. Definitely something we should do together again. Later.”

Wade flopped down on the bed next to him. “I’m glad you think so.” The merc reached out and pulled him close. Peter rolled with it, allowing Wade position them how he want which ended up being face to face, arms wrapped around each other. Peter had his face tucked in Wade’s neck and Wade had his buried in Peter’s hair. He felt relaxed as if nothing existed beyond this little room with Wade’s things and guns scattered all over. For now, just the hum of the city intruded upon their little world. Nothing could touch them and it was in this moment that Peter felt something settle inside of him almost like it clicked into place. It was in this moment that he knew he had fallen for the man.

“Still staying the night?”

“Of course. I like cuddling.” Peter pulled back to kiss Wade’s chin and the merc laughed.

“Good. I’m a cuddle monster.” In turn, he kissed Peter’s forehead. He then reached for Peter’s discarded computer, logging back in, and restarting the episode. Peter had to shift over so he could see the screen until they were back in the positions that they were when it all began but Wade held him flush to his body this time.

“Thank you.” Wade whispered into his ear.

Peter craned his head so he could see the man’s face. “For what?”

“For being you, baby boy.”

Peter gave him a small smile. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For being you, handsome.”

The beaming smile that Wade flashed Peter was worth everything.

[][][]

            Wade fixed them pancakes again when they woke, singing 80’s pop songs while he cooked. It was a nice distraction but he knew that he would have to soon return to the tower and face the cluster fuck waiting for him there. He almost didn’t want to leave the safety of Wade’s apartment. The man sensed his apprehension and urged to go home and call him to let him know how it goes. Peter borrowed one of Wade’s shirt and was given the fleece lined jacket again for the trip. Peter rolled his eyes as the man insisted but he managed to get another selfie of them together without masks.

            When he returned to the tower, he was attacked by Darcy who looked as if she had been crying. He was shocked as he returned the hug.

            “I’m so sorry, Peter. I didn’t mean anything by it. I swear.”

            “It’s okay,” he said. “I wasn’t upset by that at all.”

            She pulled back to get a good look at his face. “Are you sure?”

            He offered her a smile. “Of course I’m sure. I know you meant well. I just…It’s nothing.”

            Darcy gave him a long look. “It didn’t seem like nothing last night.”

            Peter shook his head. “Don’t worry about it. Everything is fine.”

            Clint and Natasha walked into the room then. The archer looked a little surprised to see Peter standing there.

            “You are back early.”

            “Yeah.”

            Natasha sauntered over to the couch and sat down. “Tony’s in the lab. I think you should go talk to him.”

            Peter casted Darcy and Clint a questioning glance but they both simply nodded in agreement. Sighing, Peter headed down to the labs. He found his godfather and Bruce working quietly in the lab. Well, Bruce was working quietly. It looked like Tony was hammering out all of his frustrations on a scrap of metal. Bruce spotted him first, nodding his head in greeting before gathering his phone and tablet to slip out of the lab. Peter appreciated Bruce’s insightfulness more and more as he spent time with the quiet man.

            Once they were alone, Peter cleared his throat. “I’m pretty sure there are more productive ways to vent your anger.”

            Tony snorted, it was a harsh sound but it was the first real ray of hope he had for salvaging their relationship. He stepped closer to the older man until he was leaning against the table he was working at. Peter watched the man for a moment, remembering the way he hadn’t even tried to stop him from leaving last night.

            “Let’s stop this, Tony.” He said, giving the man an earnest look.

            “No more fighting.”

            “I swear.” Peter meant it too. He was willing to hang up the suit for the rest of the year if that’s what it would take. It was then that Peter realized that this is what it had come down to. Telling them he was Spider-Man or stop until he moved out of the tower. There was no longer any in-betweens and trying to balance both aspects of his lives. He would need to talk to Wade and see if they could work something out.

            Tony gave him a long look before setting down his tools with a sigh and tugging Peter into a hug. “Why?”

            “Why what?”

            “Why did you take up fighting?”

            Peter pulled back, looking at him in confusion. “Well, I needed the money. I hate being a burden on Aunt May. I mean I’ve got college to worry about. I don’t want her to pay for it all on her own. I was making more at fighting than I was at the Daily Bugle.” Which was absolutely true much to Peter chagrin.

            “You know fast, easy money is usually dirty money,” Tony said, crossing his arms over his chest. “I was handed this company at a young age. It’s hard work to keep it going. That’s why I gave it to Pepper because I couldn’t be Iron Man and run Stark Industries. Point is, do you think that Pepper got the company because she took the easy route?”

            “She puts up with you doesn’t she?”

            “Don’t be rude. I gave her the company because she worked hard for it. She didn’t take the easy way or any short cuts. She spent long grueling hours climbing through the ranks until she became my assistant. So, you tell me what I’m trying to tell you.”

            “Street fighting isn’t going to make me a CEO of a major company.”

            “And?”

            “That I should put my efforts into something that will?”

            “Bingo.”

            Peter huffed in humor, relaxing now. Tony clapped a hand on his shoulder. “Promise me that you won’t fight anymore.”

            “I promise.” He meant it too.

            “Oh, and Peter?”

            “Yeah?”

            “You don’t need to worry about college.”

            “What do you mean?” Peter frowned, turning to his godfather.

            “I mean that you have a very sizeable college fund when you get accepted into a good University and a small fortune in stocks waiting for you when you turn twenty-six.”

            Peter’s eyes went wide. “Tony…”

            “Come help me with this core processor.”

[][][]

 

            After spending a few hours working in the lab with Tony, Peter found himself in his bedroom transferring pictures from his camera and phone to his computer. He was just sorting them all into folders when there was knock on his door. Standing, he walked over to answer it. Darcy grinned at him from the hallway.

            “Hey, I heard you and Tony had a good talk.”

            Peter nodded, trying not to roll his eyes at how quickly the news had spread through the tower. “Yeah, we have settled things I think.”

            “That’s good.”

            “Don’t blame yourself. Please?” It had bothered him through the day that she had been so upset by what had happened and he wanted to make sure that she was okay.

            “I understand,” she replied, her smile bright. “I was just checking on you.”

            “I’m fine. Thanks.”

            She rocked on her heels. “So, uh, can I see some more pictures?”

            “Sure. Come in.”

            Darcy walked over to his desk. He pulled up one of his Spider-Man files and let her flip through it while he texted Wade and Flash. After a few moments of talking to her about photography, Darcy went quiet. He looked up from where he sat on the bed to see her mouth drop open and her eyes move slowly towards him. Peter could see the gears turning in her head and he felt a spike of fear. He stood and walked over to see a picture of him and Wade, in costumes, their masks lifted to reveal their smiles as Peter took the picture.

            “Oh. My. God.” Darcy breathed, eyes flitting between the picture and Peter. “You are Spider-Man.”

[][][]

One thing Steve had learned was that war was nasty business. So was politics. He had spent his youth fighting in a war that had devastated all the major powers in the world. Some days he felt ancient. Others he still felt like a kid from Brooklyn who had to stuff newspapers in his shoes. He didn't have the luxury to be either. He was Captain America. It was a responsibility that had been thrust upon him. He carried it willingly though. 

Now he was conflicted. Peter Parker had entered his life full of anger and snark. He watched over the weeks as the boy mellowed out and opened up. He saw the jittery aborted motions. He saw the hollowness in his eyes. He saw the fear. Sometimes it felt like he was looking into the mirror. He didn't need to ask but he knew the others saw it. He knew that it kept Tony awake at night. That was why Steve invited Sam to come stay in the tower when he saw how Peter relaxed around his friend and comrade. 

The boy kept odd hours and came home bruised. They all talked. After the last time Peter had come home crying and hurt and saying that he had a fight with a friend, they all gathered in the living room to talk. 

"What is he doing to get hurt? I just don't believe that it's bullies," Tony snapped, pacing until Pepper reached out and rubbed his shoulder. "God, what has happened to that boy?" 

"He won't talk to any of us."

"He has all the signs." Sam said quietly. "Anxiety, depression. I think he's suffering from PTSD."

"Who in this room isn't?"

"That just means we are the best qualified to help him." Steve said, his heart heavy. The boy had wormed his way right into each of their hearts. He could even tell that Bucky was getting attached to him. His partner watched Peter like the boy was a ray of hope. Maybe they all looked at him like that. For some reason it suddenly felt more like they were trying to save a life rather than straighten up a rebellious teen. 

Tony escaped to his lab, but they stayed in the living room. None of them were able to sleep but not wanting to be alone. Steve had gotten up to get himself something to drink when he heard the screaming. His blood ran cold as he dropped his glass and sprinted for Peter's room. He didn't care that he broke the handle on the door and nearly ripped it off the hinges. Peter thrashed on the bed, his cries hoarse and soul shattering. Steve grabbed the boy, holding him to his chest as he tried to keep him from flailing on the bed. Shock coursed through him as he realized that it was taking all his strength to hold the boy on the bed. 

The boy settled after a moment, trembling and crying. Steve released Peter and stepped away, unsure of what to say or do. Peter was strong. Super strong. He kept the information to himself as Clint ushered him and Buck out of the room. Steve felt shaken himself by the experience. He went down to Tony's lab to tell him what happened minus the super strength. He wanted more information before he told the others. 

Tony responded by tossing his tools down and pacing across the room. 

"What are you going to do?"

"I'll leave him alone. For now." 

"He'll be okay, Tony."

"I hope so."

Steve watched him after that. Really watched him. He tracked his comings and goings. He had his suspicions. Maybe he was just some mutant who wasn't coming forward with his powers. Steve wasn't sure what else he was capable of. So he decided to train him in some self-defense. Peter was an excellent fighter no matter how much he tried to hide it. He had quick reflexes too. Steve became pointedly aware that Peter was letting him win. That unsettled Steve more than anything. When he had learned that Peter had helped Bucky through a nightmare, Steve had walked out the room. The others thought out of fear or panic at how close Peter had come to death at the hands of a friend. No, he had to see the security footage. Due to safety concerns, they had agreed to have cameras put in their bedroom. Steve watched how Peter caught Bucky’s arm without flinching. He deleted the entire clip. Steve had his suspicions but he wasn’t ready to admit it. It wasn’t until after the visit with Peggy did it click. The way the teen talked. Steve knew he wasn't talking about himself but his alter ego. Spider-Man. 

Steve wasn't sure what to do with that information. Spider-Man was just a small time hero to them. He was skilled without a doubt but his hidden identity had proved to be a problem. They weren't sure if they could trust him. It was a burr in everyone's sides. How come SHIELD didn’t have this information? Even Coulson claimed he didn’t know who Spider-Man really was. The next thing that occurred to Steve was that Spider-Man had been on the scene for two years. Peter was just fifteen when he began. The things that he had managed to achieve at such a young age it filled Steve with the respect of fellow warrior for the boy. It all made sense. 

He watched reels of Spider-Man fighting criminals as if they held the answers he was searching for. “Kid, what will you do next?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally! I have to say this chapter was struggle to finish. So many tweaking and risk taking but here it is!
> 
> Also I just want to say I'm sorry for the lateness and to remind that I am a senior in University so time is very limited. Especially this semester. I'm having to spend a lot of time researching and writing. My class work takes priority over the story. That being said I work on it when I can but I won't always make the date I set. It's just a ball park estimate. 
> 
> Thank you for your patience. Thoughtful comments and kudos have been such a motivational force for me. 
> 
> Next (hopeful) Update: October 9th!!!
> 
> EDIT:So I was a little ambitious about setting the date for the 9th. I won’t be posting today. I’m swamped with work so updates might slow down a little. So I’m going to shoot for the 23rd. I want to finish this story as badly as some of you want me too. Thank you for your patience and support.


	14. Know Who Your Friends Are

Chapter 14 

Peter looked at Darcy in panic. A split second hesitation and a too quick "no of course not," had her eyes widening in shock and excitement. 

"Oh! You are him! Oh my god!" She began pacing the length the room, the wheels obviously turning in her head. "It all makes sense."

"What makes sense?" Peter asked, dumbfounded and unsure how to still salvage his secret. 

"The bruises. Your behavior. I mean the others think it comes from what happened with your uncle which I'm terribly sorry about. I always thought that maybe something else happened to you but I was never sure and I never said anything to Sam or Clint about it. You are him, aren't you?"

Peter felt his heart skip a beat as she looked at him earnestly. "N-no. That's crazy. Remember? I get my bruises from street fighting." 

Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "You may have the rest of the Avengers fooled but not me, sir. I have the advantage of an outsider’s perspective. Want to try again?"

He felt his shoulders slump as he looked at the picture on his computer. He inhaled deeply and released it. 

"Yeah. I'm Spider-Man."

"Oh my god." Darcy looked ready to have a meltdown. "The others don't know. Tony doesn't _know_."

"And they won't. Right, Darcy?"

She frowned. "Why keep it from them, Peter? I mean, how? What are the odds that Tony Stark’s godson just so happens to be Spider-Man?"

"Pretty good actually when your father is a scientist."

"Peter, you should tell Tony."

He moved closer to her. "I can't, Darcy. Please swear to me no matter what happens you won't say anything. Please?" 

"Okay. I promise. But Peter what do you mean by ‘no matter what happens’? What's that supposed to mean?"

"I... Come with me. There are some thing you need to know."

"Okay." 

He locked up his computer and pulled on Wade’s jacket before leading her out of the tower. He called Flash and Wade to meet him at the train station. They were there by the time him and Darcy made it. 

"Darcy, this is Flash and Deadpool. Guys, this is Darcy. She knows."

"Uh, welcome to the club." Flash offered his hand for her to shake which she did, examining the teen. 

"You are Peter’s boyfriend." She said, grinning

They all shared uneasy looks and Peter said, “Flash and I aren't actually together."

"But..."

"That's just what I let the others think. I'm actually dating Deadpool."

"Hi, Spidey's club president." The merc waved, maintaining an appropriate distance. 

Darcy just shook her head. "As if being Spider-Man wasn’t enough but dating a mercenary who is on SHIELD’s watch list? If Tony ever finds out you are so dead, Peter."

"I know. Come on."

She gasped dramatically as they walked into the tunnel. "You have a secret lair don't you?"

Peter didn't respond instead he opened up the train. Her reaction was priceless as she geeked out over the whole thing. She hurried inside and began going through his things. While she explored, he told her the story of how he became Spider-Man and why he didn't want the Avengers to know. 

"Less people who know the better. Darcy, you can't tell anyone."

"I understand, Peter. I won't tell any of the others. It's not my secret to tell. I trust that you  know what you are doing even though I think you need at least to tell one of the others." 

"Thank you, Darcy."

"So Team Spidey, huh? Does that mean I'm a member now?"

"Absolutely," Flash answered. "Admission is knowing Spidey's secret identity."

She grinned. "Awesome. So t-shirts?"

"Not yet." 

Peter rubbed a hand over his hair as the other three began talking about making their own line of Spider-Man merchandise. He shook his head as he watched them plot and laugh. He realized maybe it wouldn't be so bad to have Darcy on board. She was smart and had kindness to spare. Watching her confer with Wade and Flash made him wonder what it would be like to have Gwen in the same position. What would she have to say about the path he was on now? 

"So who is Daredevil?" She asked. 

"Not telling."

Her eyes went wide. "You know who he is?! Oh my god. That's so cool."

Peter laughed lightly. They eventually left the train station to head home. When they were alone, he said, "don't get too involved Darcy. I don't want you or Flash getting hurt."

"Don't give me that talk, Peter. I'm besties with Thor of all people."

He stopped, turning to her. "No, you don't understand. Gwen...she died because of me. Because I'm Spider-Man. I don't want either of you to get used against me like that. Do you understand?" 

Her eyes turned sad and she threw her arms around him. "I'm so sorry, Peter. You are so young. You shouldn't have to go through that by yourself. I'm here for you."

He returned the hug briefly before ushering her the rest of the way to the tower. "It's okay."

"You won't regret this. I promise."

[][][]

Having Darcy know still made Peter uneasy the first few days around the tower. He wasn't sure what to do with himself as the break began. She hung out with him a lot in his room, talking about Spider-Man duties and catching her up on Sniegoski. 

"I can't believe that SHIELD isn't more involved in this."

"SHIELD is still trying to weed out Hydra agents," Peter commented idly as he browsed his computer. 

"True. But still. If what you say about Sniegoski is true, this could be more than you can handle."

"Don't worry." Peter replied. "We have help and we are close to catching him. Thanks to you actually."

"Me?" She chirped. 

"Yeah. If it hadn't been for you I would have never found out about Sniecorp or Harvey McMillen."

"Cool! I'm helping bring down the baddies!"

[][][]

He sat on top of the roof, the cell that Clint had given him clenched tightly in his hand. He was waiting for the archer to show after having called him about needing his help. It made him nervous because what if Clint recognized his voice or body movements. He'd never had to worry about it until now. None of the Avengers were stupid and he didn't want to underestimate their ability to see right through him. 

"Why can't we meet in nice little sandwich shops?" Clint suddenly asked as he climbed over the edge of the roof. "Why is it always a roof? I get you are living up to your persona but come on. There is a great burger place just around the block."

Peter stood, keeping his movements ridged and pitched his voice lower as he talked. 

"I draw too much attention in my suit."

"You can show up in normal clothes and ditch the mask. Problem solved."

Peter snorted before he could catch himself. "Nice try."

"Alright. Why am I here?"

"There's a woman who has super strength working under Sniegoski. She has been an issue for me and WA- Deadpool. You have any tech or know someone who does?"

"Most of SHIELD's resources got destroyed with the emergence of Hydra. I can put in a word with Iron Man and see if he can come up with something."

Peters stomach dropped at the idea of getting Tony involved but he swallowed his nerves down and nodded. "I appreciate it, Hawkeye. I want to get her in SHIELD custody before anymore get seriously hurt."

"Of course. I'll contact you when I get word from Stark."

"Thanks."

[][][]

Christmas break came in the midst of Peter’s most recent crisis. The first week of break Peter spent it hanging around the tower and spending time with his friends. He helped Wade as much as he could on the case without actually suiting up and fighting bad guys. They focused their efforts on learning as much as they could about the company and the politician. There wasn’t much to be found about the company other than a very brief internet site. There was more on the man running for mayor who was pointedly very anti-mutant anything. The Daily Bugle raved about the man and his goals and how he was good for the city. Peter felt sick to his stomach as they discussed the loss of rights and freedom for people like him. 

"We have to connect Sniegoski to these crimes and in turn connect Howard here," Wade said during a research session, writing on their white board. 

"His name is Harvey. But yeah. We can't let him take office. For laws get passed we’ll all be automatic criminals if we stop a woman from being mugged."

"Bingo." Wade hummed lightly before flopping down on the couch next to Peter.   

"So we know the company's base is located somewhere outside of the city."

"Yeah, but it could be anywhere in the state."

"He wouldn't be too far from the city. If he's running this shit show he’ll want to stay close so he can handle any issues."

Peter sighed, rubbing his temples. He wanted this to be over with. "Maybe Harvey knows where. If they are working together there has got to be some sort of link."

Wade grinned. "Sounds like we are performing a B n’ E."

"I don't know, Wade. I'm in between a rock and a hard place. I can't get out of the tower right now."

"I thought you weren't grounded."

Peter shrugged. "It changes from day to day." Since the break started, Tony would make up things for him to do every time he said he wanted to go out. Peter had just stopped going out. Even know he had sneaked out (with permission from Steve).

"That's rough. So glad I skipped that phase."

Peter shot Wade a curious glance but didn't question him. He knew Wade’s past was complicated and didn't like talking about the nitty gritty details. 

"Yeah, speaking of which I need to head back before Tony sends one of his suits after me."

"I could totally take them."

"Yeah, okay. Whatever you say."

[][][]

Peter was hanging out in his secret lab when he heard some one step onto the train. Darcy and Flash came in with trays of coffee and donuts in hand.

"Look who I ran into!" Darcy smirked as she set down the drinks next to him. "We decided to do something nice for our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man."

Peter couldn't help but smile. "Thanks but you didn't have to."

Flash set down the donuts, rolling his eyes. "Yeah, whatever."

"What are you up to today?" Darcy asked as she sat down on a spare chair, taking a big bite of a donut. 

"Just working on some tech and waiting on Wade to get back."

"Oh? What is our mercenary doing?"

"Gathering intel on Harvey and Sniegoski."

"Oooo. Spy things."

Flash huffed humorously. "All we need is a hacker."

"I can do that." Darcy offered. 

They both looked at her in surprise. "What?" Peter added, "I thought you were a political science major?"

"Oh I am. Doesn't mean that I didn't have a hobby for computer coding and what not when I was younger...I was arrested as a teen. It was expelled from my record but I thought it was best not to go into anything dealing with computers at uni."

Peter and flash traded glances. He was good with computers but he never went beyond hacking school computers for pranks or alter his attendance records. "You are okay doing this?"

"Yeah." She pulled her computer out of her bag and set it up on the table next to him. "So what am I looking for?"

"Anything Harvey has in relation to Sniegoski. Emails would probably be the best place to start. Wade may not get access to that." Peter scooted closer to watch her work. 

Flash pulled up a chair. "So if we get caught how much trouble are we going to be in."

Darcy hummed. "A lot but I'm taking a gamble on Tony bailing us out. He does have the best lawyers."

Both boys flinched in response. Peter responded. "It's okay, Darcy. Just do what you can."

They sat in silence while Darcy got to work. It was only a few moments before there was a banging on the side the train car and Wade’s merry singing reached their ears. The merc stepped into the train a moment later, setting his guns down on the counter before strutting over to kiss Peter through the mask. 

"How'd it go?"

Wade scoffed as he plopped himself on the floor. "The man had a disgusting amount of porn magazines in his desk and that's me saying that! But I've got no physical evidence of any ties to Sniegoski."

"There has got to be money transactions happening." 

Wade hummed in response. "I did get the name of his accountants and campaign manager."

"Ah ha!" Darcy shouted. Wade mocked her immediately and she threw her discarded donut at his head. 

He dodged it by shifting to the side just a hair. "What are we ‘ah ha-ing’ about?"

"I just hacked into mayor candidate Harvey blank personal email account."

Wade looked much more interested as he got to his knees and moved closer. They were quiet as the read the emails exchanged. Mostly it was stuff from friends and family and company advertisements. Nothing said Sniegoski specifically. That is until they came across an email that looked strange. Reading it at first glance it looked like a discussion between friends planning a trip but something seemed off. There were an odd set of numbers at the end. 

"Bingo," Wade said. "Found our guy."

"What do the numbers mean?" Flash asked. 

"Could be anything." Darcy replied with a huff. 

"They look like coordinates." Peter offered, noting the breaks in the numbers. "Coordinates and a date."

Darcy began typing away. "If that's so, whatever is happening there is happening in just a week." She searched the number and said, "Stark Industries? What the hell are they going to do there?"

Peter felt his heart skip. "Go back to the email." He didn't like this at all. What did it mean? He reread the email again and again, trying to understand it. Darcy found more email exchanges all similar in format. They were able to decipher where they discussed plans after the election. 

They sat in silence after they had hammered out the details. Darcy was the one who broke the quiet. 

"So let’s recap. He's going to destroy the city. Sniegoski is going to unleash an army of mutant slaves on New York. That's when Sniegoski will come forward with his company and make a deal with Harvey. Harvey will get elected into office and they both become the city's saviors."

"Crime is already spiking," Flash said. "People are starting to take notice."

"It looks like the first attack will be on Stark Industries," Peter said quietly. 

Darcy gave him a fearful look. "Peter... What are you going to tell Tony?"

He frowned. What was he going to tell Tony? He couldn't not say anything. Too many lives were at risk. "I think it's time that Spider-man pays the Avengers a visit."

[][][]

Armed with a new voice changer and a folder of all the data they had put together, Peter scaled the side of the tower like he used to when he'd have to pay the Avengers a visit. He headed straight for Tony's docking platform, knowing the man would meet him there. 

He wasn’t disappointed as he reached the platform and headed inside. What took him by surprise was that Steve was there too. He tried not to show how nervous he was. 

"Hey, fellas. Long time no see. How are you?"

Tony crossed his arms over his chest, frowning. "What are you doing here?"

"Ouch. Straight to the point. Gotcha." Peter took a deep breath before pulling the folder out of his bag. He noticed how his hands trembled. 

"There is going to be an attack on Stark Industries in a week." He held out the evidence. 

Tony frowned as he took it and began going through the pages and reading their notes and theories. It took about ten minutes before Tony handed the folder to Steve. 

"Where did you get this?"

"A friend helped me and Deadpool out. That's what they turned up."

It had only been information on the attack specifically not the rest of the information they had turned up. They wanted more concrete evidence before bringing the case up before SHIELD. 

"Thank you, Spider-Man," Tony said. "I'll handle it from here."

"Oh. Okay. Uh. Sure." Peter began edging his way back to the platform until Steve called out. The super soldier approached him and placed a firm hand on his shoulder. 

"Good job, Spider-Man. It means a lot that you brought this information to us despite our treatment of you in the past."

Peter shrugged. "It's nothing. People might get hurt if I didn't."

Steve nodded, his expression soft. "Take care of yourself."

"Right. Uh, thanks. Catch you guys later." He hurried out of there before anything else could happen. 

[][][]

Saying that Peter was worried was an understatement. He could tell how the atmosphere changed in the tower after Spider-Man had delivered the message that there would be an attack on Stark Industries. They began discussing about moving back to the Avenger’s facility until the danger passed. Peter wasn’t sure how he felt about moving out of the city. It would bring on a whole new set of challenges but then he was eager to see where the Avengers had been calling home until recently. He knew the only reason they were considering it was because of him. There were just too many unknown factors. He knew Tony was about to move them. Pepper had already returned to their condo to work from home until they sorted the problem.

Sure enough the very next day, Tony was knocking on his door and letting himself in. Peter could tell that his godfather was worried from the pinched expression on his face. “We are moving to the Avenger Facility.”

“How far away is it?” Peter asked, thinking about his friends and duties. He had heard rumors of it being around Washington D.C., but he wasn’t sure how true that was. Peter had lived in New York for his entire life. He honestly didn’t want to leave for any length of time.

“It’s just outside of the city. Sam and Darcy will drive you whenever you want to see Flash. I get it. You don’t want to be away from your boyfriend for too long.”

Peter rolled his eyes in a lame attempt to hide his embarrassment. “Come on, Tony. That’s not it.”

“Then what is it?”

“My entire life is here. Has always been here. I just don’t know what I’ll do outside of the city.”

“It’ll be a fun experience. It’s not permanent. It’ll be just until the threat passes.”

“If you say so.”

[][][]

            Apparently the Avengers facility was in upstate New York. It was about half an hour drive. Peter ended up in a SUV with Sam, Clint and Steve. Tony and Bruce were in a sports car ahead of them. Natasha and Bucky followed on motorcycles. Peter had packed a small bag with his essentials. He tugged nervously at the chain around his neck, thinking about Wade and Flash. Thinking about how disconnected he was from his role as Spider-Man now. Wade promised that he would keep an eye on his friend and not kill his father if something happened. Even after all this time he still worried about Flash living at home with his father. He hadn't seen bruises on Flash in months but Peter knew that not all abuse was physical. 

"You'll like it there." Steve said to him suddenly. 

"Oh. I'm sure I will."

"Then why are you nervous?"

Peter stopped fidgeting. "I'm just thinking."

"About?"

"It's nothing."

Steve shifted, leaning so he faced Peter more directly. "I think this will be good for you. You need to get out of the city for a little while."

"The last time I left the city was for a fishing trip my Uncle Ben took me on."

Something akin to sympathy crossed Steve's face. "This will be good. You'll get to meet some more friends of ours."

Peter gave him a sharp look. "Like who?"

"Well, there's Wanda." 

"And Scott."

"Any of the X-men at any given time."

Peter swallowed hard. A normal teen would probably be excited about meeting these people but he just felt nervous being surrounded by other heroes. What if one recognized him and spilled the beans? 

Peter looked out the window, watching buildings become scarcer and trees loom above them. They pulled down a long drive way, pulling up next to several buildings that must compose the new Avenger’s facility. Peter grabbed his bag and followed the others into the once warehouses. He looked around in wonder. It wasn't much different from the tower in anything other than layout. The buildings were far from tower in height but they were still spacious. He was shown where the gym, the labs, and other rooms of importance were. He got to see Rhodey who was working with SHIELD agents before being led to the living quarters. 

He liked the open kitchen and living space. It was simple and clean. It almost looked like a real home. A woman emerged from down the hall, wearing a red sweater and black leggings and boots. She smiled at them as she approached. Her eyes landed on Peter, that smile slipping replaced with a confused look before the smile returned full force. 

Tony said, "Peter, meet Wanda. The Scarlet Witch. Wanda, this is my godson, Peter."

He shook her hand as she offered. "Nice to meet you, Peter."

"Nice to meet you too." He replied. 

"Welcome to the Avengers’ facility. I hope you enjoy your stay here. I'm sure it's hard for you to be away from the city."

He frowned slightly. "Uh, yeah. Thanks."

"Let me show you to your room."

Peter glanced around before nodding. For some reason his spidey-senses were humming. There wasn't any immediate danger but something was amiss. He followed her with an uneasy smile. Others didn't object as they walked away. She led them down a hall and into a furnished bedroom. He didn't have time to take in any of it before she was closing the door and rounding on him. 

"You are Spider-Man."

His eyes went wide. "What? No, I'm not. Where would you get an idea like that?"

 _Shit._ Ran on a mantra in his head. How was everyone figuring it out? Especially a woman he just met. 

"I can read minds. You are Spider-Man and Tony's godson."

He blinked at her owlishly. "Yeah?"

She snorted, light and dainty. "Tell me how that is working for you."

"What? You didn't read it in my mind?" He snarled back, going on the defensive. 

Her grin strengthened. "I like you. It's a pleasure to meet you, Spider-Man."

Peter shook her hand again, this time it felt different. Like he was forming some kind of alliance. 

"You won't tell the others?"

"My lips are sealed. They won't find out from me. Besides if Darcy is adamant about keeping your secret so am I."

"You know Darcy?"

"We usually go shopping together when she comes to the facility here to visit Dr. Erskine."

"Oh."

"I'll call her and let her know I'm in your little club now." 

Peter felt his stomach give a nervous flip at the idea of someone else knowing his secret but it was bound to happen. He couldn’t change it now. So he smiled at her. "Welcome to team spidey."

Peter ended up spending his whole first day in the Avengers’ facility with Wanda. It was nice getting to know her. He'd of course heard stories of her as the Scarlett Witch. Oddly enough they bonded over favorite Youtubers and TV shows. They wound up in her room with her laptop propped on a pillow in front of them and a bowl of popcorn in between as they watched Pewdiepie and Dan and Phil games. 

Tony found them towards evening like that. He smiled at the sight of them. "I'm guessing you are settled in?"

Peter smiled. "Yeah."

"Good. Come on. Dinner is ready."

[][][]

Peter was in the kitchen baking cookies. It had only been three days and he was bored out of his mind. There was only so much to do. He missed hanging out with Flash and Wade. Now he went to Wanda when moments of boredom struck him and he didn't want to spare with Steve or work with Tony and Bruce in the labs. Having Wanda know his identity still made him a little uneasy but he was beginning to trust her. So baking seemed like a good way to work off the nerves. 

He had just pulled the first batch out of the oven when he heard the sound of claws on tile. Looking up he saw a dog sniffing around the living space. The dog looked like a yellow lab mix of some kind. It had bandages wrapped around his middle and front legs. When the dog spotted him, he saw that the dog was missing an eye. Peter braced himself as the animal bounded over to him, tail wagging. The dog jumped up, licking his face. Peter couldn't help but smile and knelt down so he could pet the dog. He noticed a collar with a purple arrow shaped tag. 

"Lucky?" Clint called from the other room. Peter looked up to see the archer come in and relief cross his features. "Oh. Peter, this is Lucky. Lucky, this is Peter."

Peter stood. "I didn't know you had a dog."

"I didn't." Clint replied, going straight to the coffee pot, snatching up a cookie on the way. "A few nights ago I got ambushed by a gang. This guy bit one of the guys shooting at me. They beat him and threw him in the middle of the street. I couldn't leave him behind."

Peter was still rubbing the dogs head. "That's cool. I'd like having him around."

"He's here to stay then."

Peter smiled at the hound and slipped him a cookie. The way the dog perked up at him Peter knew he had made a friend.  

“Want to play some Mario Kart?” Clint asked him.

“Yeah.”

They moved to the living room where the gaming system was. Lucky was curled up on the couch in between them. After a while of goading quips and light shouting, Peter jumped when he heard Tony yell, "why the hell is there a dog on my couch?"

They looked up at the man and traded glances. Peter just shrugged and took the chance to defeat Clint’s character on the screen. The archer shot him a dark look before turning back to Tony. 

"He's mine. I rescued him."

"Mutt off the furniture."

Peter snorted as Lucky groaned as if in reply. "Yeah, that's not gonna happen."

"I mean it. That couch is worth more than you, Clint."

Wanda appeared and her eyes lit up at the sight of the dog. "We have a dog?" She exclaimed as she hurried over, moving to kneel. Peter quickly stood, hand on her elbow as he offered her his place. She smiled even brighter as she took his place and he perched on the arm rest next to her. Lucky happily greeted her as she laughed shyly and strokes his fur. 

"I think you are outnumbered, Tony." Peter said, grinning.

Tony rolled his eyes and headed into the kitchen. 

[][][]

He talked on the phone everyday with Flash and Wade. Flash mostly kept him updated on the going ons in the city while Wade kept him posted on his progress of tracking down Sniegoski and keeping an eye on the tower while they all waited for the threatened attack. Peter was nervous. He wanted to be present for whatever was going to happen but after much discussion between him and Wade they decided it might be best for him to stay at the facility. The biggest concern was that he didn’t need to be fighting as Spider-Man within close proximity to members of the Avengers. Wade promised to keep “tin can” and “Eagle One” safe no matter what happened.

Peter was sitting next to Wanda and Darcy on her bed, watching a movie, when his phone buzzed. At first he didn’t look but it buzzed again and again and again. They shot him a curious look and he picked up his phone and saw that it was Wade…who was still sending him texts. “Oh my god,” he swore to himself as it kept going. He put his phone down to wait until it came to a stop.

Wanda asked, “are you going to answer that?”

“Yeah, when he stops being an idiot.”

“He?” She frowned glancing at Darcy.

“It’s his boyfriend,” Darcy replied around a mouthful of popcorn.

“You have a boyfriend?”

“What? Didn’t see that in my head?” Peter replied, keeping his voice light so she knew he wasn’t accusing her.

“When are going to let that go?” She huffed and he laughed.

“No…Anyway. Everyone thinks I’m dating Flash.”

“But you are dating someone else.”

“Yeah, Deadpool.”

“That guy is insane, Peter, and I don’t even need to read his mind to know that.”

Peter rolled his eyes. “You just don’t know him.”

“He’s actually really cool,” Darcy added. “I noticed when he’s just around Peter, Deadpool is more chill.”

They shared a long look. He could tell Wanda still seemed unsure by him being in a relationship with Wade but she just nodded and turned away. He picked up his phone then and opened it since the incoming of messages had slowed down.

_Hey, homeskillet biscuit._

_I’m sorry._

_Homie?_

_Petey!_

_Hey_

_Okay so I’m staking out Starks penis in the city_

_You probably didn’t want that visual._

_Sweetums, I’m bored. B.O.R.E.D._

_Talk to me._

_I’ll call._

_Don’t care who answers._

_Spidey! Don’t be that way._

_I’m desperate here._

_You could say I’m about as desperate as Hitler’s final days in the bunker._

_XD_

_Too soon?_

_It’s okay I have a friend who is Jewish._

_You think cap would find that funny?_

_Probably not._

_Look. I’ll have a conversation with myself to give the illusion I’m doing something productive._

_Hi. How are you?_

_That’s great! I’m fine. Thanks for asking._

_Feel free to jump in at any time._

_See what happens when I’m left to my own devices_

_I either annoy or kill. And since I’m not allowed to kill I’m having to just annoy._

_White says I’m annoying even when I’m killing_

_Is this true?_

_Peeeeeeeeeteeey._

_Stop doing homework and pay attention to me._

_I’m thinking that when we find Sniegoski a blow up bounce house should be involved._

_What do you think?_

_I’m taking your silence as a yes._

_You know this conversation is feeling very one sided, baby boy._

            Peter was laughing hard by the time he reached the end. He was doubled over, tears in his eyes. The women were looking at him funny but were waiting for him to catch his breath. He wiped his eyes and sent a quick text in reply.

            _Oh my god, Wade._

_It’s only been fifteen minutes._

            He turned to the others and said, “it’s Wade,” before handing Darcy the phone.

            “I’m not going to see or read anything that I shouldn’t, right?”

            “No.” He replied, chuckling.

            Wanda and Darcy put their heads together to read at the same time, smiles stretching across their faces. The phone buzzed in her hand and Darcy read aloud, “ ‘Aw, but, baby, fifteen minutes feels like a lifetime when I’m not with you.’ Oh my god, Peter. That’s so sweet.”

            He snatched his phone back, his ears burning.  “Stop that.”

            “When was the last time you saw Wade?” Wanda asked.

            Peter shrugged. “A few nights before I came here. He’s been busy with the mission and the attack on Stark Tower.”

            It was startling some days with how much he missed Wade. There was a need to see his face or hear his voice that just wasn’t being satisfied while he was so far away from the city. Sure he missed Flash but it was different with Wade. There was just something there that he felt like Wade understood him and he understood Wade. He missed him.

            The women traded knowing looks and Darcy rubbed his shoulder. “If I could sneak you out of here for the night I would, Peter, but the last time I tried that with Wanda, Tony blew his top.”

            “It’s okay. I know I’m actually under house arrest until further notice. I’m not fooled by any of it.”

            They shared a sad look before Peter’s phone began to ring. Smiling to himself, he stood and walked out the room to answer his boyfriend’s call.

[][][]

            The week passed far too slowly and quickly all the same. Tony and the others had made themselves scarce over the last day or two, making frequent visits into the city. Peter felt nervous as Tony and Steve left the night before the planned attack. He really wanted to be there but he was stuck at some compound in the middle of nowhere. Clint left Lucky for him to watch. Tony had given him a hug and a promise to return as quickly as he can. Peter’s stomach sank with guilt and worry. Wanda stayed by his side, the only other person left in the Avengers’ personal living quarters. He had no idea where Darcy had disappeared to.

            Him, Wanda and Lucky were in the kitchen talking when they heard the door open. Peter paused his eyes going to Wanda’s when he heard the sound of Wade’s voice over Darcy’s softer chatter. He hopped down from the stool he was sitting on and hurried into the living room. He ran into Wade and Darcy who was grinning as she saw him.

            “Wade, what are you doing here?” Peter asked as he hugged the other man without thinking.

            Wade clung to him tightly before letting him go. “Well, this little lady told me that you have been moping around here all week and said that I needed to pay a visit. Not that it took much convincing. I would have tracked down this place eventually.”

            “Wade, we can get in so much trouble if the others catch you here.”

            “I know! Isn’t it fun to live dangerously?”

            “Wade, no!”

            Darcy grabbed his arm. “It’s okay, Peter. Wanda is going to keep everyone out and I’m taking Sam on a date.”

            Peter had to do a double take. “What? For real? Since when?”

            Darcy huffed. “I asked him if he wanted to go to a DnD meet up. He said yes. So what if I just so happened to coordinate it on a night when no one else would be here.”

            Wanda grabbed Darcy by the wrist and began leading her out of the room. "Let’s leave them alone, shall we?"

Before anything more could be said the two women disappeared, leaving Peter and Wade alone. Peter shifted awkwardly, uneasy now for reasons he couldn't explain. It had felt like a long time since he had last seen or heard from Wade even though they talked over the phone just last night. So he smiled at Wade and said, "want to go to my bedroom?"

"Scandalous. Should we leave the door open?"

Peter snorted, shaking his head as he led the mercenary down the hall. He closed the door behind Wade and sat down. The bed bounced as Wade threw himself down next to Peter. 

"Are you ready for tomorrow?" Peter asked. 

"You betcha."

"I wish I could be there." 

Wade straightened up and removed his mask. "Honestly? I wish you were too. You've been there for almost every step and tomorrow is Sniegoski’s first move. You deserve to be there when we catch whoever shows but it's for the best that you aren't. People are catching on. Darcy knows. Wanda knows. You don't want Tony to find out so you need to keep it under lock down."

"I know!" Peter let out an exasperated huff as he flung himself back on the bed. He should've known that the position would have Wade on him in heartbeat, lips kissing his tentatively. Peter sighed into the kiss and wrapped his arms around the other man's neck, pulling him closer. His stomach gave a flip as Wade moved further onto the bed and laid over him. The straps and buckles of Wade’s suit dug into his chest through the thin shirt but he didn't tell Wade to move. Instead he just pulled him in and road the sensations the man's hands were creating as they moved beneath his clothes. 

Wade moaned as he pulled back. "I've missed you."

Peter flushed at the warmth in the merc’s voice and replied honestly, "I've missed you too."

Peter didn’t know what happened but the next thing he knew he was positioned properly on the bed, grinding his hips into Wade’s. It felt as though his heart swelled as Wade began removing the top of his suit without any inhibitions. He sighed into the other man’s mouth as he bent back down to kiss him. Once the top and all its weapons had been removed, Wade sat up straight, straddling Peter’s waist with a smug look on his face.

            “Now, my little spider¾ Hey! Don’t laugh¾ What do you say to a little romp in the sheets?”

            Peter grinned as he rested his hands on Wade’s thighs. “I don’t know. What if someone walks in on us?”

            Wade smirked wolfishly. “That’s part of the fun.”

            Peter paused for a moment to just look at Wade, thinking about all the times they had spent together. All the late night conversations. All the questionable Mexican food on they ate on rooftops around the city. All the near (and actual) death experiences. Life was so short. He didn’t know when his next breath might be his last. He didn’t know when he might never get see any of his friend much less Wade again. He cared so deeply. Peter had spent so much of his time trying to shut down his feelings and build walls around him because he didn’t want anyone to get hurt because of him. Because of who he is. Wade came in a destroyed all of it. He leaned up and kissed the merc softly on the mouth, a stark contrast to their earlier heated grinding.

            “I want you to fuck me, Wade,” he said with more seriousness than he thought he could manage.

            “No.”

            Peter’s eyes widened in shock and before the hurt could settle in, Wade explained. “Call me a romantic if you will but I will not ‘fuck’ you. Not the first time at least.”

            Peter relaxed, reclining back on the bed. “Okay. I can handle that.”

            “Condoms and lube?”

            He felt his face get warm as he leaned over to the dresser and pulled out the items. He’d brought them with him on some off chance he wouldn’t be able to go back to the Avenger tower soon. It was way too embarrassing the first time around to buy those things. He set them on the bed next to them and looked up at Wade.

            The merc flashed him a gentle smile and ran course hands up his shirt. The action caused Peter to arch a little into the touch which was almost embarrassing how responsive he already was. “So just to be clear you want full on anal?”

            Peter tried not to snort at Wade’s bluntness. Part of him really appreciated that particular characteristic in the merc. It took out all of the guess work. He nodded. “Yeah.”

            “And you want to be on the receiving end.”

            “Uh, yeah. If you are okay with it.”

            “I like both ways, baby boy. There are so many fun things about sex. Why limit yourself?”

            Peter felt the tension in his belly uncoil. “I want to explore it with you, Wade.”

            The man’s eyes lit up. “Let’s get started, huh?”

            “Yeah.”

            Wade bent down and started kissing him again. Since they stopped to talk, Peter’s interest had flagged a little. Wade made quick work of his clothes, removing the items swiftly. Peter struggled with Wade’s belt. His hands had begun to shake the longer it took. He wasn’t nervous. Not at all. But honestly, he was.

            Wade gently took Peter’s hands in his and kissed the knuckles before moving off the bed. Peter sat up, drawing his legs up to hide his nudity. Wade kicked off his boots and shucked his pants in one go. “Glad I went commando today.”

            Peter snorted as Wade moved back onto the bed, moving with the other man until Wade was laying on top of him in between his spread legs. There was something so pointedly vulnerable in the position. Maybe it was just ultimate end game looming on the forefront of his mind but his stomach gave a nervous flutter as Wade began kissing along his neck. Every move, every nip or tug served to fuel both of their desires. It seemed like in no time at all Peter was arching into every touch and Wade was impatiently thrusting their hips together.

            He stilled as Wade reached for the lube. Peter watched as the merc squeezed some onto his palm and took a moment to warm it.

            “Are you ready?”

            All Peter could do was nod and bite out a little, “yeah.”

            “Tell me if you are uncomfortable with anything.”

            “Okay.”

            “Beautiful.”

            Peter flushed in surprise but immediately replied with, “handsome.”

            Wade smiled and reached down, taking his cock in one hand and pressed a finger lower. Peter jumped as it passed over his hole, completely forgetting how Wade was stroking his cock. The merc didn’t press in though. He just worked over the area and after a moment he said, “relax, baby boy.”

            “I am relaxed.”

            Wade gave him an unamused look. “No, you aren’t. All three of us can tell that.”

            Peter let his head fall back with a groan. “The voices can mind their own damn business.”

            “Now, Petey, if you continue to say things like that then they might get the impression you don’t like them.”

            “I don’t. They are jerks. I think they are mean to you.”

            “Awww, you do care…Eureka!”

            Peter flushed as he realized that Wade had worked a finger in. “You asshole.”

            “Your asshole.”

            “Did you have to say that?” Talking was a great distraction to the sudden nervous spike in his chest and the discomfort coming from his ass.

            “It worked.”

            Peter tried rolling his eyes but he just ended up closing them and grabbed hold of the sheets as Wade began moving his finger in and out. He swallowed hard, his legs felt weak as he moved to spread them wider. Once he got use to the feeling, Wade added a second finger. It seemed to take forever. Peter knew it was supposed to feel good but it seemed like it was taking too long. What if there was something wrong with him?

            “Relax.” Wade commanded gently again as he worked.

            Peter grunted, “I’m trying.”

            “Just focus on breathing. I don’t need you passing out.”

            “Oh god. Is that a thing that can really happen during sex?”

            Wade gave him an exasperated look. “Yes, especially if you hold your breath. Stop that.”

            “I’m not holding my breath!”

            “Yes, you are.”

            Peter took a deep breath, glaring at the man. Now that it had been pointed out, he did realize that his breathing was a little haggard. He focused on breathing like Wade told him to. It helped a little and eventually he felt his body relax into the bed and what Wade was doing started to feel good. He sighed as Wade resumed stroking his member which had flagged again. After a moment of this, Wade’s motions changed and the next thing he knew, his muscles were tensing again but this time in pleasure.

            “Oh, fuck.” Peter gasped as Wade grinned like a kid in a candy store as he continued to rub the bundle of nerves there. He didn’t notice the third finger being added. It was a pain that was gladly welcomed. “Wade, come on.”

            “I know. I’m experiencing a really bad case of blue balls too but I don’t want to hurt you.”

            “You won’t. I’m ready.”

            Wade took a moment longer before pulling back and reaching for a condom. Peter frowned a bit. “Do we need condoms?”

            “I can’t catch anything,” Wade replied easily as he tore open the package and rolled on the rubber. “But we aren’t sure about you and it’s best to stay in habit.”

            “You say that like I might sleep with other people.”

            Something sad crossed Wade’s face. “You are young. You don’t know what might happen.”

            Before Peter could reply, Wade was kissing him and applying more lube to his entrance. He sighed at the sensation now. “Relax,” Wade whispered into his neck as he moved in position and pressed the head of his cock to Peter’s entrance. He swallowed hard and gasped as he began to push in. Wade’s dick was much larger than his fingers but Peter breathed through it, thinking about how much he wanted this with Wade.

            The merc was fully seated and stilled to give him time to adjust. “How are you doing.”

            “It doesn’t hurt…”

            “But?”

            “It’s a little uncomfortable. Give me a minute.”

            “I’ve got all the time in the world.”

            Carefully Wade leaned down and pressed a hard kiss into Peter’s mouth, hands going to Peter’s sides to massage them gently. After a moment, Peter relaxed again and experimentally moved his hips, pulling a moan from Wade. 

            “Okay.”

            Going slowly, Wade pulled out and thrust back in. He kept the pace slow and steady as Peter stretched around him and adjusted to his girth. The sensations were new and thrilling as Peter leaked precum onto his belly. He wrapped his legs around Wade’s waist and dug his heels in, urging Wade to go faster. Wade straightened, lifting Peter’s legs with a hand under each knee and began thrusting more vigorously.

            Peter gasped/shouted as he struck the bundle of nerves hard. He found himself lost to the tide of sensations, from the feel of Wade inside him to the bruising grip on his legs. His body lit up like a spark and he knew that he wouldn’t last long. He released his tight grip on the sheets to clutch at Wade’s forearms, almost clawing at the older man. Wade shifted, his breathing heavy and hard, so that his palm came to brace against the bed with Peter’s legs still hooked over the merc’s arms. Peter’s eyes fell closed as Wade’s mouth slotted over his and he could tell that it was about to end very soon. His body was shuddering at the sensations coiling beneath his flesh. Then Wade grabbed his member and began stroking hard and fast in time with his thrusts.

            “Almost there, baby.” Wade grunted, his own face flushed.

            Peter arched off the bed as he came hard, clawing at Wade’s shoulders, crying out loudly. Wade doubled his efforts, driving into him until he stilled, groaning loudly. “Fuck,” he gasped as he came. Now only the sound of ragged pants filled the room. Peter opened his eyes to take in Wade’s blissed-out look. Wade caught him looking and smirked before pulling out and removing the condom. Silently, Wade crossed the room to the attached bathroom. He returned a moment later with a rag in hand and proceeded to clean them both up. Peter shuddered as his body cooled down and the sweat dried. Wade quickly had them both beneath the covers, his body laying over Peter’s, back to chest.

            “Good?” Wade asked softly after a moment.

            “Great,” Peter replied. He was still riding the aftershocks of his orgasm. His body felt ultra-sensitive. More so than normal.

            The merc kissed the back of his neck, arms tightening around him. A hand came up to fiddle with the bullet around his neck. “My light in the darkness.”

            Peter shifted so he could look Wade in the face. “Wade…”

            “It’s okay, baby boy. You don’t have to say anything.”

            He shifted, rolling over until he was facing Wade. “No, you…I care so much about you, Wade. I don’t know when it happened but you’ve become one of the most important people in my life. There’s just something… I can’t explain it. You make me laugh when I’m sad. You make me feel like I can do anything. You make me feel like I…deserve to live. To be here.”

            Wade kissed him hard, hands going straight to his hair. “Don’t say things like that.”

            Peter frowned. “Like what?”

            “That you don’t deserve to live.”

            “I don’t…It’s been a tough year for me.”

            “I’ve gotten that.”

            “I’ve never told you everything.”

            Something softened in Wade’s expression. “I’ve been told I make a great listener.”

            Peter snorted. “Somehow I doubt that…but I was in love with someone before you.”

            “Tell me?”

            “Her name was Gwen. She…died. I couldn’t save her. I was too slow. It’s my fault.”

            Tears were falling down his face and he said, “fuck. Didn’t want to talk about this after just having sex.”

            Wade hummed. “That’s the funny thing about pillow talk. Don’t know where it’s going to go. Peter, it’s not your fault what happened.”

            “You don’t know the story…”

            “I don’t need to know the story,” Wade replied. “I know you. What happened wasn’t your fault. It was never your fault. It’s just some things are out of your control. Don’t take the blame for someone else’s miss deeds.”

            Peter studied the merc’s face before just kissing him. “Thank you.”

            Wade released a sigh. “The voices said that I shouldn’t have said that.”

            “They can shut the hell up.”

            “They are really getting the vibe that you don’t like them.”

            Peter rolled over onto his back, stretching. “That’s because I don’t.”

            “It’s not their fault.”

            He shot Wade an unamused look. “Right.”

            “You’ll come to love them.”

            “If you say so.” He paused for a moment. “Are you going to stay the night?”

            “Of course. Not even Tony Stark can pry me from this bed.”

            Peter groaned. “Don’t say that…”

            Wade kissed his forehead. “I have to leave early.”

            “Then let’s get some sleep. I want you at your best for anything.”

 

            When Peter woke the next morning, Wade was gone but there was a small Deadpool plushy on his night stand with a card that read, “in case you miss me, love Wade.” He had the dopiest smile even hours later when Darcy and Wanda came to the kitchen where he was making them all a large breakfast.

[][][]

Steve fixed his shield to the holster stretching across his back with a practiced ease that came from repeating the movement hundreds of times. A quiet settled over him. An acceptance that he had come to be familiar with. Many made the mistake to think that he is first and foremost Captain America. No. He was just a young man from Brooklyn who was a soldier. He was going into battle. Whether it was against men, aliens, machines, or mutants made no difference to him. 

Sam was talking to Tony. Both were suited up and watching the surveillance feed that JARVIS fed to them. There had been no sign of suspicious activity for the last few days. Now was no different but that didn't mean they weren't going to let their guard down. Steve took a moment to think about Peter. Since he came to the realization that he is Spider-Man, Steve couldn't help but feel worried. He was so young to be taking on criminals, especially those that are of the King Pinhead and Sniegoski caliber.  Steve didn't doubt his abilities but he did doubt his maturity in being able to handle full grown men. He had always known that Spider-Man was young but he didn't think he was still just a teenager. And he had help from no one. 

"Cap," Sam said suddenly, his tone pitched with a serious edge. Steve immediately moved closer, looking at the screen. There was a hooded figure walking down the street towards the building. He frowned as he took in the book-bag. There was something too familiar by the gate, the clothes, and the bag. 

"Nat, there's a man coming toward you. Around 5'7. Brown jacket, hoodie pulled up. Check him."

Several team members were stationed around the building. 

"I see him," she replied over the comm in his ear. 

He watched her figure move from her position, Clint moving to cover it, and walk down the street. It was nothing to a normal citizen’s eye but they waited with baited breath as she passed the man. Alarms went off as her scanner picked up explosive components. 

"Grab him," Steve commanded. 

Then the oddest thing happened. It was like the man knew because before Natasha had the time to turn, he already had grabbed her and threw her into the wall. Clint was moving through the crowd, a baton drawn as people scrambled out of the way. Steve watched as the man rounded on the archer and dodge his attack, grabbing Clint instead and pivoting him out of the way. Before either agent could recover, the man was scaling the wall Ina fashion similar to how Spider-Man moved. 

"Sam, let's go. Tony tell us where he goes."

"Yeah."

They ran out of the room, something told Steve to head to the roof before Tony even said anything. He leapt up the stairs, mindful of Sam’s own restrictions. He reached the roof, heading in the direction that Tony directed him. He saw the man, bag now discarded. 

"Stop!" Steve called out. "Let's talk." He got no response. Instead the man began running. Steve followed, pushing himself hard as he leapt from roof to roof until they came to a place where Steve couldn't follow anymore. Sam had already taken to the air. As the man sprung to scale the skyscraper they had come to, Sam flew up and snatched him midair. They struggled and Steve watched as the stranger tore one of Sam’s wings right from the hinges. Fortunately, they didn't fall far. As the man recovered from the crash Steve threw his shield but the man ducked in time. It served enough of a distraction for Steve to catch up and grab him. 

He yanked the man's hood back and took in the familiar bug eyed lens of Spider-Man's mask. 

"No." Steve managed before a hard hit caused stars to explode before his eyes and he crumbled to the ground.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow! I never thought I would get this finished! We have Wanda and Lucky! We'll see how this goes. 
> 
> Thank you so much for all the support. The kudos and comments give me life. 
> 
> So a few things:
> 
> 1\. Over the next two chapters or so is going to be a hot mess. Not spoiling anything but some stuff is about to go down. 
> 
> 2\. The chapters might take awhile until after Thanksgiving. 
> 
> 3\. I swear I am seeing this story through to the end. Thank you for sticking with me. 
> 
> Next (hopeful) update: November 13!!!
> 
> UPDATE(11/11/16): Okay so I got ambitious again. My work load has been huge and it's just going to get worse through the rest of this month and part of December so I came up with a new game plan. 
> 
> Next update will be December 16. I know that is over a month from now but I'll be posting two chapters at once instead of one. 
> 
> Thank you for your patience. After this semester updates will be happening a lot faster.


	15. Itsy Bitsy Spider

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING before you read: there is violence, mentions of torture, and some serious emotions going on in this chapter. I tried to keep it as vague as possible but if you are concerned about content, just message me and we'll talk.

Peter smiled at the story Darcy was telling Wanda from where he sat on the counter top, shoulders pressed against the cabinet They were currently taking a break from decorating for Christmas when they realized how close they were to the holiday while they were waiting for the others to return. Darcy had asked JARVIS about any decorations and led them on a trip to one of the storage garages in their pajamas. Lucky happily followed them around as they hung reefs, garlands, and lights. Darcy had done most of the directing as Peter scaled the walls and Wanda used her powers to teleport things up to him. It was late in the afternoon and they had yet to hear any news. He was trying not to worry but when he smiled his heart wasn’t in it. Surely he would have heard from Wade by now. Right? He shook his head and tried focusing on Darcy’s story.

            Suddenly the doors blew open and the team stormed into the building. His eyes went wide as he took in the bruises on everyone, except for Tony and Bucky. He immediately hopped down from the counter, trading looks with the women, before they moved towards the others. Lucky ran up to Clint, licking at his fingers. Natasha’s face was blank and Tony looked furious.

            “What happened?” Peter asked.

            “Spider-Man set us up!” Tony snapped, causing them all to flinch.

            “We don’t know that,” Steve argued.

            Tony turned to glare at the super-soldier. “What do you call that fiasco back there?”

            Peter felt his stomach sink. Wanda’s eyes were flitting back and forth between the two men. He watched her expression change from curiosity to shock. She glanced at him before asking, “What happened, guys?”

            “Spider-Man showed with the intent to plant an explosive on top of Stark Industries. He took out Sam and Steve,” Natasha answered. “He set it off before making a disappearing act. Deadpool managed to grab the bomb and take it to an abandoned apartment building for it to detonate.”

            “What? Where is Deadpool?” Peter asked before he could stop himself.

            Natasha looked at him sharply but it was Clint who answered, “he went boom with the bomb. Don’t worry about that loon. He’ll be right as rain in a few days…Or about as right as that man can get.”

            Peter felt like he was going to be sick but he knew he couldn’t run out of the room without drawing too much attention to himself. So many things were running through his mind and he didn’t know what to do with any of the information being presented to him. Darcy grabbed his hand and squeezed while Wanda talked.

            “What’s going to happen next.”

            Sam shrugged. “There has been an arrest warrant issued for Spider-Man. SHIELD is handling the case.”

            “We are handling the case,” Natasha snapped. She had JARVIS pull up film of Spider-Man and all the records they currently had.  “We let him go unchecked for too long. We knew this was going to happen.”

            Steve set his shield down before leaning against the wall. “I don’t think it was Spider-Man.”

            “It was Spider-Man’s suit. Spider-Man moves. He webbed you to the roof after knocking your lights out or did you forget that?” Tony replied.

            Steve’s eyes casted over Peter and he felt his heart skip before the older man began talking again. “No, I didn’t. There’s just something about that guy…I think it was a copycat.”

            “Okay, so we’ll let him walk just because you had a hunch.”

            Steve’s face darkened but Sam threw up his hands. “Okay, guys! That’s enough. It’s been a long day. No one got seriously hurt so lets…”

            “How can you say that?” Peter snapped before he could stop himself. When had the tears started to fall? Everyone looked at him in alarm. “How can you say that no one was hurt when Deadpool is in a million pieces in some ally.”

            “He’ll come back,” Clint answered, moving closer as his frown deepened.

            “Why are you upset?”

            Peter shook his head, scrubbing at the tears. “I…I don’t know.” He turned on his heels and hurried to his room, locking the door behind him. He could feel the beginnings of a panic attack. He reached up and grabbed hold of the bullet pendant as if it could soothe the ache. He stood there for a few minutes before a light rapid knock on his door startled him.

            “Peter, open up,” Darcy called quietly through the door.

            He opened it and she pushed her way in. She snatched up his shoes and threw them at him. “Get dressed and hurry. Everyone is in an emergency meeting right now. We need to get out while we can.”

            “What?”

            Darcy gave him an impatient look. “Do you want to go get Wade or not?”

            He gaped at her for a second before springing to action. He quickly tugged on the shoes and grabbed a hoodie. Wanda was waiting for them by the door. Lucky whined as they walked out and Darcy said, “Shhh. We’ll be back as soon as we can. Stay. Good boy.”

            They loaded up in a vehicle and hurried out to Darcy’s small car. Peter got in the back to let Wanda rode up front. They took off down the road leading away from the Avenger facility. He thought about the arrest warrant out for him but, honestly, he didn’t care. He was more worried about Wade. Sure, Clint was right about Wade waking up but the man had saved thousands of lives today. Wade didn’t deserve to wake up alone away from home. Peter just wouldn’t have it. His chest tightened at the thought of Wade being hurt and trying to heal, alone.

            By the time they reached the city it was dark. They reached the building that had been where Wade had carried the bomb to. There were caution tapes all over, sectioning off the property but it was clear of personnel. Peter wasn’t sure what he was going to find or if he was even going to find the merc. His heart was racing as he tore through the tape and hurried inside.

            “Wade?” Peter called out as he hurried among the wreckage. “Wade!”

            The place was a wrecked. As he worked his way up he felt like the floors could collapse under him at any moment. Only Wanda had followed him into the building, using her magic to move large objects out of the way. He settled for rifting through the debris, desperately searching. He paused as the light reflected off an object. Peter snatched it off the shard of plaster it hung off of. It was the other half of his necklace. Covered in blood and soot, the bullet was barely recognizable. He slung it around his neck and began searching faster through the cave in. His heart skipped a beat as he saw Wade’s gloved hand. Using all his strength he finished clearing away the rest of the wreckage. New tears form in his eyes as he dropped down next to his boyfriend and Peter took in the mangled, bloodied body.

            “Wade…” It was hard seeing someone he cared for so deeply look like that. Limbs were missing, most of his suit and flesh burned away, his face was unrecognizable. It was truly the site that nightmares were made of. When he felt no pulse his stomach gave an uneasy flop. Carefully he lifted Wade up and carried him out of the debris. Wanda found him first and her face fell at the sight of them. She silently walked next to him as they exited the building. Darcy went pale as a sheet and then turned green.

            “Oh my God.” She shoved her fist in her mouth. Probably to keep from throwing up. “Where do we take him?”

            “Back to his apartment. I’ll stay with him. You guys go back to the facility.”

            “Okay. Okay. Shit. Peter, I don’t think you should be alone…”

            “I’ll be fine. His apartment isn’t far from here. Go.”

            Wanda spoke. “Peter, SHIELD is going to be keeping an eye on Deadpool’s apartment because of his relationship with Spider-Man. Everyone is going to figure out your relationship with him.”

            “I don’t care…I’ll take him someplace else then.”

            “Where?”

            “The one place SHIELD won’t think to look for either Deadpool or Spider-Man.”

[][][]

            Peter felt drained. With the help of the women, he managed to sneak Wade into his aunt’s house and set him down on blankets and towels that Darcy and Wanda folded on the bathroom floor. Once he was settled he turned to the pair and told them to go. They seemed unsure to leave him alone but he reassured them and promised that he would deal with the others in the morning. He just needed to be with Wade until he knew he was okay. They left with a promise to return in the morning. Tension released in his chest once they were gone and he could set about to working on Wade.

            It was a grueling task. The sight would be embedded in his mind forever but it didn’t stop him from peeling away what was left of the suit and then set about washing away the blood and tediously removing bits of glass and shrapnel. Tears began to fall as he kept checking for a pulse and got nothing in return. There was a seed of doubt that made him wonder what if Wade’s luck had run out. What if this was his last resurrection? He couldn’t bare the idea of losing him. It made his hands shake as he cleaned the burns and blood. Peter wasn’t sure how long it took him to finish. When he stood, his legs hurt from being cramped for so long. He moved to the sink and looked at himself. His face was smeared with dirt and blood. The front of his torso looked no better. His arms and hands were covered in red. He moved Wade to his bedroom and covered him with a quilt before hurrying back to the bathroom where he threw up whatever he had eaten in the past day.

            He cleaned the bathroom and threw the ruined blankets and towels into a trash bag before stripping his clothes to add to the mess. The hot water of the shower was a welcomed relief as it washed away the blood, turning the water red before running down the drain. He felt so hollow at the moment. He didn’t want to think about the fight waiting for him. He didn’t want to think about what the others thought of him going to Deadpool’s rescue. Peter couldn’t handle what it would mean if they all found out he was dating Wade Wilson. Much less while his boyfriend laid dead in his room right this very moment.

            Eventually, he pulled himself out of the shower and dried before slipping into his bedroom where he pulled on some old clothes he had. Wade had yet to move. He gathered blankets and a pillow from his aunt’s room and laid down on the floor next to Wade. There was no telling how long it would take for Wade to come back…if he came back.

            Not surprisingly when he woke the next morning he had dozens of missed calls from Tony. He didn’t flinch at the threats on the voicemail or text messages. He got apology texts from Darcy and Wanda, saying that they couldn’t hide it from Tony but his identity was still safe. He checked on Wade, seeing that he was making good progress. Peter moved to the kitchen to watch the news on the small TV set. There was word of another attack by Spider-Man already. Peter felt his blood boil at the sight of the damage being done by the copycat using his name.

            He called Tony back, feeling determination settle in his stomach.

            “Where the hell are you?”

            “I’m in the city.”

            “I know that,” Tony snapped. “Where?”

            “I’m not telling you,” Peter replied, his voice terse.

            “You’re not telling me? Why the hell not? Peter…”

            “When I get back, Tony, I’ll tell you everything but there is something that I have to finish first. Thank you for taking care of me but…I’m eighteen now. I’m an adult. Let me do this.”

            “Peter, wait. What are you talking about? Peter!”

            He crushed the phone in the palm of his hand and threw the broken phone away. His chest felt tight but he wouldn’t fall apart now. He refused to. He had a copycat to deal with.

[][][]

            Steve couldn’t believe this. Someone was pretending to be Spider-Man. He watched the way Peter’s face crumbled at the news and he wondered again for the hundredth time what was the boy was doing playing the game of men. It was only a matter of time before he got seriously hurt. What confused him was the emotional outburst at finding out about what happened to Deadpool. He had only met the mercenary a handful of times before and each of those times, Deadpool had left him completely unnerved. The man was perhaps one of the most dangerous that he, as Captain America, had ever met. Maybe it was how fully aware he was of Deadpool’s healing factor and the way he could still function through pain made him an intimidating figure. Not to mention his heightened strength, agility and his skill with weapons gave the mercenary a lethal edge that even Bucky and Natasha treaded carefully.

            So why did Peter begin to cry at the mention of Deadpool being dead? Why would the young man even care? He watched the reactions of Darcy and Wanda, knowing that Peter was bonding with the two women. Darcy looked worried by the information and Wanda was giving him that look that meant she knew something before masking her face. Darcy moved to hold Peter’s hand and the wheels began to click for Steve. He knew that Spider-Man and Deadpool had been working together on the Sniegoski case for months now. What if… what if it wasn’t Flash who gave Peter that hickie and was taking him out on dates?

            Steve almost groaned out loud, glancing at Tony who was standing next to Natasha watching the video feed. It was going to be hell when the other man found out about Peter. If his suspicions were right, it will be even worse if Peter was dating Deadpool. When Peter left the room, Tony moved to follow him. Steve threw out his arm to grab his friend’s shoulder.

            “Don’t. Give him some space. It’s been a stressful day.”

            Tony looked ready to argue, worry sketched deep into the lines of his face before nodding and drawing back. “Right.”

            Shortly after that they were called into a conference with the D.A., Harvey McMillen, the Police chief, and Director Coulson. They sat at a conference table and looked at the divided screen. McMillen began the talk.

            “Good evening, gentlemen and ladies.” He said with a smile. Natasha only glowered at the man. “It seems that we have a problem on our hands. Now I can try to keep news from getting out of hand but Spider-Man is now a menace and he must be brought to justice. How do you plan to handle your comrade?”

            Steve felt ice in the pit of his stomach. Peter was in so much danger and no one else at this table knew it.

            Tony answered, “we plan to catch him and turn him over to SHIELD custody. Let him plead his case and let him be treated fairly.”

            Coulson hummed in agreement. “We will have the Avenger team personally arrest Spider-Man.”

            “I am issuing an arrest warrant for the vigilante known as Spider-Man. He will be charged with accounts of vandalism, battery, evasion of the police, terrorism and the list goes on. I will be handling the case. Avengers, may I remind you that if you try protecting him because he is ‘one of you’ you will go down with Spider-Man.”

            The tension spiked in the room until Tony laughed bitterly. “Excuse me while I conveniently forget that it was Spider-Man who tried to bomb my company today. May I remind you, D.A. McMillen, that I don’t give a fuck about your petty threats.” Tony promptly ended the call and Steve felt sour. He needed to talk to Peter soon.

            Coulson was still on the line. “I wish you hadn’t had said that.”

            Tony snorted. “I’m not worried.”

            The director of SHIELD shook his head and sighed. “Let’s get together a plan shall we?”

            They spent the next several hours going over a plan of action on how to deal with Spider-Man. They went over everything they knew about the other hero. His abilities, his powers, everything. They would need to be prepared. While Spider-Man had never been asked to join their ranks didn’t mean that he wasn’t a formidable opponent. They couldn’t take a chance to treat this lightly. Once they were finished they were able to go their separate ways and get food and rest, Steve headed straight for Peter’s room but he was cut off by Wanda. He took in the dirt on her jeans and the smell of soot hanging around her. Their eyes met briefly and he knew something had taken place while they were in a meeting.

            “We need to talk,” she said.  
            “Yeah, I think so too.”

            “My room,” she replied, casting a wary glance down the hall where the others had gathered.

            Silently they went to her room and she closed the door behind him, locking it before turning to him with an accusing glare. “You know Peter is Spider-Man.”

            “You know Peter is Spider-Man.” He repeated. Of course she would figure it out the minute she met the kid.

            “Why haven’t you said anything, Steve?”

            Why hadn’t he? That was a reasonable question. “I don’t know. I should. I should at least let Peter know that I know but I want him to tell me himself.”

            “He won’t. Peter is being hard headed about telling no one.”

            Steve nodded in agreement. The boy would rather have people dislike him than know the truth. “Wanda, where is Peter? I need to talk to him.”

            “Why?”

            “There is a warrant out for his arrest. We are going to have to bring him in. I need to warn him. He needs to know that I know.”

            “Steve…”

            The way she said his name caused his worry to spike. “What? What’s wrong?”

            Then they heard Tony’s frustrated yell from down the hall. “Goddammit! He’s gone!”

            Frown deepening, Steve turned back to Wanda. “Where is Peter?”

            “Me and Darcy took him into the city.”

            Steve could swear he was getting a headache. “For what? And you left him there?”

            There was a sudden rapid knock on the door and Wanda quickly threw the lock and opened the door. Darcy flew in with a frantic look on her delicate features. “Wanda, we have a problem ¾ Oh, Steve! How’s it going, my big muscly man?”

            “Darcy knows.” He said, looking between the two women. Darcy’s eyes widened dramatically. “Oh, shit. Cap, you know?”

            “He’s known the longest out of any of us,” Wanda replied.

            “Oh no.”

            “Darcy,” Steve began, “Peter is in danger. Where did you two leave him?”

            Darcy and Wanda traded looks before Wanda turned back to him. “We left him in safe location.”

            Steve sighed heavily. “No, not a valid answer. Why did you bring him into the city?”

            “For him to get Wade.”

            “Deadpool?”

            “Yeah,” Wanda replied, nodding.

            “Why?”

            They traded looks again but Steve tried to remain patient. Darcy said, “Peter is dating Deadpool.”

            “Excuse me?”

            “You heard me.”

            Steve was really beginning to wish that he wasn’t always right. “Damn. So you found Deadpool. Then where did you take him?” They hesitated and he added, “You can tell me. No one else will find out from me. You have my word. I just need to make sure that Peter is safe because there is about to be a massive man hunt for Spider-Man.”

            “We left him at his aunt’s house.”

[][][]

            The following afternoon, Peter donned the suit, fully aware of how dangerous it would be to be seen in it. As he navigated the city, Peter had to be more careful of where he was going and what he was doing. He stayed to the shadows, resting on fire escapes to stay out of sight while he listened to his police scanners. When he heard mention of a Spider-Man siting, he hurried to the location. He stayed out of site as he reached the bank where the robbery was taking place. Peter spotted the copycat running from the crime scene. He chased after the other man. He took note of his abilities. They were similar to his own, scaling walls and lunging far distances but the man wasn’t as fast or as strong nor as adept at using the web shooters. Peter was able to gain on him then as they swung around the city. They had raced all the way to the docks. Peter lunged for the copycat and they tangled as they fell through the air, landing hard against the ground. The copycat sprang to his feet and rounded on Peter, but didn’t attack.

            “Why are you doing this?” Peter snapped as he rose to his feet.

            “Some powerful people want to see the little spider fall,” came the reply, accent thick with something foreign.

            “What?” Peter could feel his heart racing. “Why me?”

            “Because it’s always easier to target a lone wolf than it is to take the pack head on.”

            “The pack…? Are you talking about the Avengers?”

            “Ruin your name. Drag you through the mud. Destroy your very being and purpose. How do you think that is going to make the Avengers look?”

            “I’m not associated with them.” Peter argued, mind reeling to put the pieces together.

            “Public opinion is a fickle thing. They believe what they fear. We just have to create that fear.”

            “You are mutant too. Why do this? Why make all superhumans look bad?”

            “Because I benefit in the long run.”

            Peter tensed as his senses went haywire and saw the copycat tilt his head to the side. “My work is done here. I wonder if they will believe you.”

            The man took off and Peter darted after him but he came to a stop as heard the sound of repulsors and vehicle noises. A black SUV came to an abrupt stop behind him while Iron Man and the Falcon dropped down in front of him. His heart skipped as a gauntlet, one he had worked on personally, was pointed at him. Sam had a gun pointed at him. A quick glance over his shoulder told him that Captain America, Black widow, and Hawkeye was in on this fight as well. He wouldn’t be surprised if Bucky was somewhere on a roof with a gun pointed at his chest because none of them knew who he truly was.

            “Spider-Man, you are under arrest for your crimes against the people of New York. Yield now.” Iron man said to him, his voice stern.

            “It’s not me!” He called out, edging away from the assassins. “It’s a copycat. I swear.”

            “You will make your case to the court. But right now you are being taken into SHIELD custody and required to reveal your identity.”

            Peter knew that if he didn’t run now, everything would fall apart. He had to catch the copycat because even with Tony’s influence, his godfather won’t be able to protect him. He had to run. That’s exactly what he did. He took off, calling on every ounce of strength and speed he had that he usually held back. He scaled to the top of a ware house in record time, shots being fired at him as he fled. “Shit,” he swore over and over again as he sprinted across roof tops. He glanced back to see Sam drop Steve on the roof behind him. He didn’t know where Tony had gone but his spidey-senses were going crazy, almost at painful levels.

            He shot out web to swing from the taller buildings. While he was in mid-air, something struck his side and caused him to lose his grip. Peter never reached the ground. Something grabbed the back of his suit and he realized that Iron Man had him. Peter twisted, panic threatening to swallow him whole because this was his godfather. He didn’t want to be doing this but he grabbed hold of Tony’s forearm to steady himself. Peter reached up and hit the Arc Reactor as hard as he could. In the back of his mind he remembered when him and Tony worked together to reinforce it so nothing could easily shatter it. So Peter knew how much force and the angle it would take to destroy it. Peter heard Tony swear as the suit powered down and they were free falling. He quickly shot out web and attached it to the front of Tony’s suit. When the web caught and halted their fall, Peter let go and crashed to the ground. He rolled, the wind knocked out of him. He got to his feet and ran inside the building he had landed next to. He heard Natasha yell, “I am on him!”

            He ran into the empty building, hurrying to the upper levels. His heart was racing and his vision narrowing on just the world in front of him as adrenalin pumped through his system. He was almost to a window when he felt electricity roll through him, causing his muscles to seize. Peter cried out as he fought the effects. He felt an arm wrap around his neck and squeeze. He forced his spine to straighten and reached back to grab her head to hold her place and he fell back with all the force he could manage. They both grunted in pain and when her grip relaxed a fraction, Peter tore himself away from the Black Widow and turned to face her head on. It was in that next breath that he realized that he was facing off with the Avengers. He was _fighting_ the Avengers.

            Natasha lunged at him and he evaded. He knew better than to attack her in the traditional manner. He webbed her boots to the floor to immobilize her long enough to allow him the freedom to run for the window. Gunfire rung around him. He yelled as pain exploded through his leg, white and hot. He couldn’t afford to stop. He lunged through the glass of the window and shot out a web to take him away. He swore as he spotted Clint on the roof of the building across from the one he just came out of. He dodged one arrow and then another. Peter clung to the side of the building, watching the other man. One arrow missed him but exploded on impact on the wall next to him, causing Peter to become disoriented. He dropped to the ground and ducked into an ally way. He had to get away.

            The ally was a dead end. Peter was getting prepared to climb the building when he heard footsteps coming his way. He turned to see that it was Steve. What happened next surprised Peter.

            Steve lifted a hand to his ear and said, “He’s not here, Clint. He must have headed south. Check closer to the docks. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

            Peter hesitated. Why would he say that? His head was spinning, his leg hurt, and his energy was draining the longer he waited. Steve sheathed his shield and approached him slowly, hands raised in a non-threatening manner.

            “Easy. I’m not a threat.”

            “You say that until you are close enough to grab and arrest me.”

            “No. Peter, listen to me.”

            Peter’s stomach dropped. “No…”

            Steve removed his helmet. “I know who you are. Come on, Peter. Talk to me.”

            “How?”

            “I’ve known for a long time...” Steve moved closer until only foot separated them. “You need to get out of here. You need to leave your aunt’s house, Tony is going to look for you there later, and find someplace else to hide. Do you have one?”

            “Y-yeah.”

            “Good.” Steve pressed a phone into his hand. “Call the number on this phone once you are there. Do you understand?”

            “Yes, sir.”

            “Good. Head North. There is a blue building. Inside is a bag of clothes. Change and get out of here. I’ll keep the others distracted.”

            “Why, Steve? Why not just tell the others who I am?”

            “You are a wanted man whether or not you are Peter Parker. It’s better that the others don’t know until your name is cleared. Now go.”

            “Thank you, Steve.”

            A soft smiled crossed the older man’s face. “Anytime, Peter. I’ll always look out for you…I know you are Tony’s godson but I can’t help but feel as though… If I had ever had a son, I would have wanted him to be like you.”

            Peter hugged Steve hard before releasing him and hurrying off in the direction he told him to. He found the small blue building with only a single entrance and located the bag sitting on a desk inside. He quickly pulled on the clothes over his costume. They were actually his. Steve must have grabbed them out of his room. He didn’t have time to dwell on Steve knowing his secret and what it could possibly mean. Peter shook his head as he headed out side and got as far as he could away from the dock district. By the time he got back to his aunt’s house, his leg was throbbing painfully and his head was spinning. He headed straight upstairs where he found Wade still unconscious but mostly healed. When he checked, Wade’s pulse was strong and steady. He was painfully aware that he couldn’t possibly carry Wade all the way to the train station without someone seeing them…But Flash didn’t live nearly as far away.

            He waited until dusk before wrapping up Wade the best he could and set off down the alley ways behind his house. He hurried along the deserted paths until he was at Flash’s house. He scaled the side of the house and slipped through the open window. Fortunately, Flash was immediately by his side.

            “Holy fuck, dude! Do you know how many times I’ve tried calling you?”

            “Sorry. I don’t have a phone at the moment.”

            “Or your freedom. Pete, you are like the most wanted man in New York right now.”

            Peter grunted as he dropped Wade’s covered body on the bed. “I know. Trust me. I’m painfully aware.”

            He saw the way Flash paused and looked at him, his eyes going wide as he took in Peter’s battered state and the body on the bed. “Is that…?”

            “It’s Wade. He was caught in an explosion a few days ago. His body is still healing. He should be up in the next few hours.” Peter fixed the blanket correctly over the man, so only his face was showing.

            “Peter, what the hell is going on? You are all over the news.”

            “There is a copycat. He’s committing these crimes. Not me.” Peter slumped down in Flash’s chair. “Turn on the news?”

            “Sure.” They were silent as Flash changed the TV channel to the news station. There was a clip of Tony speaking.

            _“He slipped away,”_ Tony said, _“but we won’t stop until he is in our custody.”_

_“Then what, Mr. Stark? How can we trust that you, as a fellow superhero, will properly allow Spider-Man to stand trial for his crimes?”_

_“Trust me. He will have his day to stand before the judge and get what he deserves. Do not forget that he also almost destroyed Stark Industries, where my girlfriend, Pepper Potts, works. I am not going to treat this lightly.”_

_“Mr. Stark, how will this effect restrictions on superhumans?”_

            Peter shook his head, groaning. “I have to go.”

            “Where? This is deep shit, man.”

            “I know. I can’t stay here. Call Darcy and let her know that Wade is here…Don’t let anyone in the house, okay? Don’t trust anyone.”

            He could see the look of fear cross his friend’s face before it just settled on worry. “Peter…It’s going to be okay. You are Spider-Man. Don’t let this…copycat person get to you. You are better than this.” Flash yanked him into a hug and Peter just paused to savor it. The comfort that it offered soothed his frayed nerves and aching bones. He pulled away no matter how much he wanted to stay. He bent over to kiss Wade’s lips and slipped both of their necklaces on his neck before leaving out the window.

[][][]

            “He wasn’t there,” Tony growled as Steve came into the lab, his hand in his pocket and wrapped around the burner phone. When he had learned that Tony had returned to the facility Steve went in search for the other man. It was getting close to midnight and Peter had yet to call him. He was beginning to worry.

            “At his aunt’s?”

            “No. I went to Flash’s but the boy swore that he hadn’t seen him since Peter was last in the city.”

            Steve frowned. “You believed him?”

            “As much as I might want to I can’t just barge into the poor boy’s home.”

            “He’s… eighteen now, Tony. Even if you did find him what would you do?”

            His longtime friend shot him an angry look, one that Steve was becoming accustomed to over the last several months. “Talk to him.”

            “And then what? You can’t force him to come back. He’s made his decisions.”

            “I just want to know why. Why did he just take off like that?”

            Steve paused. He wanted to tell Tony what was going on. Wanted to tell the man that his godson was Spider-Man but he knew he couldn’t. Tony knowing wouldn’t change the fact that Peter was a wanted man. Sure Tony had influence but it didn’t change the fact that Peter was still a criminal and would need to stand trial for his crimes. It was too high priority. There were too many underlying factors at play. Too many enemies who wanted to see them all fall. Why there was a copycat of Spider-Man, he wasn’t sure but he knew it had something to do with the battle of superhuman rights. It had to be. There was no other way to explain it. Not unless someone was targeting Spider-Man specifically.

            “What?” Tony was looking at him. Steve realized that he had been quiet for too long.

            “Nothing…Tony, there is something that you should know. Peter…”

            JARVIS suddenly spoke, “Sir, you need to go to living area immediately. I have already summoned the others. Something has happened to Spider-Man and he’s on the news.”

            Steve’s stomach dropped. They traded looks before hurrying out of the lab. Bucky and Sam found them on the way and Darcy, Wanda, Clint, and Natasha were already in the living room. Steve stopped dead in his tracks as he looked up at the screen and saw Spider-Man. He was tied up, somewhere between standing and kneeling, forced to hang there with his arms out stretched. His mask was in place but the normally white lenses were blacked out by spray paint. His suit pants were in place but the shirt was missing. The torso was bruised and bleeding from various places. Some looked old but most of it looked fresh. He appeared to be unconscious, stirring just every now and then. Steve watched in muted horror as Peter jerked at the sound of door opening and closing. A man walked into frame, only visible from the chest down, with a rod in hand.

            “Itsy bitsy spider went up the water spout,” the man sang as Peter began to visibly struggle.  “Down came the rain and washed the spider out!”

            The man touched the rod to Peter’s side, his body jerked and convulsed before wrenching a scream from the young man. Steve almost found himself looking away. He glanced at Darcy and Wanda. Darcy had her hand over her mouth and Wanda looked positively furious.

            When the man pulled away the rod, Peter sagged, not fully collapsing to the floor because of his binds. “New York! Your beloved Spider-Man is now in my care. Don’t worry I’ll take good care of him though.” As if to prove a point, the man touched the rod again to Peter’s side and Steve ground his teeth in anger.

            “Now everyone of New York say good bye to your little spider because after today he will no longer be your hero.” There was a pause, they waited silently before the man spoke again. “Greetings, Avengers.”

            “JARVIS?” Tony snapped out quickly

            “It seems that he is now only streaming the video feed to our servers, sir.”

            “How?”

            “I’m working that out now, sir.”

            The man went on talking. “I hope you are all watching. Especially you, Tony Stark, because I have something that belongs to you.”

            The man circled the hanging boy until he was behind Peter with a hand on his head. Without any more fanfare the man yanked the mask and snatched him by the hair, yanking his head up. They were all looking at Peter’s bruised and bloodied face. Steve immediately turned to Tony and saw the shock in the way his mouth dropped open, in the way his eyes widened. In the way the blood ran out of his face.

            “Does this look familiar, Mr. Stark? I know he’s a little banged up but surely you can tell who this is. Hate to be the bearer of bad news but, yes, your godson is Spider-Man.” The man let Peter’s head drop. It was obvious the boy was struggling to maintain consciousness. He touched the electric rod to Peter again, causing the slender body to convulse and screams echo through the room, before walking around to the front. Now they could see Peter’s face twist in pain, see the way his muscles tightened and his chest heave. See the tears fall down his face, mixing with dried blood.

            “Peter, Peter, Peter…” The man sang as he walked out of frame. Peter raised his head, looking right into the camera before turning his attention to his tormentor.

            “W-why?”

            “Why what? Ask me what you want to know, Peter. I don’t want to make you my enemy.”

            “Why are you doing this?”

            The man scoffed off camera. “Well, Peter, your alter ego has proven to be a problem for me. Do you know how much money you have cost me over the last few months? More than you’ll ever see in your lifetime.” The man walked back into the frame but this time he had a revolver in hand.

            “JARVIS!” Tony roared suddenly. “Where the hell is the feed coming from?”

            “I cannot pin point it, sir. They keep scrambling the trace-back.”

            “Hurry!”

            The man moved beside Peter, pressing the barrel of the gun to his temple. “You cost me far too much money for me to allow you to run loose.”

            The revolver clicked as he pulled the trigger and Peter flinched visibly. “There is only one bullet. I wonder how long you have.” It clicked again. Peter’s eyes widened in alarm as the chamber turned over, but then the alarm settled into a look of peace. His eyes fell shut and he breathed out a heavy sigh.

            “What a tragedy. To be so young and so prepared to die.” When the gun was pulled away from his head they all released their breaths.

            “Why!” Peter yelled as the man walked off, struggling against his bonds.

            “Why?” The man returned and knelt in front of Peter but they couldn’t see his face. “Because I realized something from watching you. From tracking your every move. I realized that you are a well of untapped potential. It’s a shame that others didn’t see it. Just think, your relationship would be so much different with SHIELD and the Avengers.”

            Steve watched the way that Peter’s eyes narrowed and glance towards the camera again. There was something odd going on here. Peter asked, “why do this? Why provoke the Avengers like this?”

            The man laughed, a harsh and crude sound. “You think the Avengers frighten me? They won’t find you, Peter…not in time anyway.”

            “So what? You are going to kill me?”

“I was but not now. Like I said, you are capable of so much more.” The man lashed out at Peter, punching across the face, causing many to flinch in the room.

            Peter gasped and spat out blood on the floor, his face twisted in pain and thought. “I don’t understand,” he managed.

            “You know your roommate, Bucky Barnes?”

            “What about him?”

            Steve’s eyes flew to his partner and saw the way Bucky tensed at the mention of his name. He turned his gaze back to Peter.

            “I’m going to take a page from Hydra’s playbook. Just think about it! You were able to slip right under the Avengers’ noses and not get caught! When they attacked you earlier today? You were able to slip away, mostly unscathed and unprepared. Just imagine how much money you will make me being the greatest assassin known to man and you can’t even act upon your free will.”

            Peter’s face went slack as it clicked into place. The tension in the room spiked as the Avengers understood what the man meant. “You are going to brainwash me and just make me into a puppet for you.”

            “Just imagine the look on Captain America’s face right before you snap his neck!” The man’s laugh echoed through the room. “And Tony Starks! One by one you will kill the Avengers. Of course. We’ll have to run some experiments. Test those limits. I suggest we begin with your healing processing. See exactly how adept it truly is.” He walked back into frame with a baton in his hand. “Have anything you’d like to say to your friends before we begin? Because no matter what the outcome is, you will not leave the same person you came here as.”

            Peter was silent, looking directly into the camera. Steve watched as something akin to hardened resolve click into place on the boy’s face. He looked up at his captor with a chilling glare. “I think you should work on your right hook. That last one tickled.” Peter spat in the man’s face.

            He heard Natasha whisper, “good boy,” as the man hit Peter over the head with the weapon. Peter slumped against his bonds but the steady rise and fall of his chest told them that he was still alive. The video feed cut off then, leaving them in a stunned silence. The only noise that broke through was Darcy’s soft sobs as she cried into Sam’s chest. No one moved. No one said anything. Steve’s chest felt tight as he considered the unknown. He could tell that the others were still trying to wrap their heads around Peter being Spider-Man. Their young friend. The boy they always looked forward to seeing. They had just seen him as a child but looking at the screen, Steve didn’t see a boy. He saw a man.

            “JARVIS?” Tony said quietly, voice void of any emotion.

            “I’m close, sir. I’ll have a location in approximately ten minutes.”

            Tony was silent for a moment but then he asked, “Who knew?”

            Steve didn’t like the dark hooded look on his friend’s face or the way his voice was pitched low. Steve glanced at Wanda and Darcy, who had pulled away from Sam. It was Darcy who admitted first. “I did.”

            “We both did,” Wanda added.

            Steve sighed. “Tony…”

            “You didn’t think to fucking tell me?!” Tony yelled, glaring at Steve. “I…Fuck. I don’t even know what to say. Some fucking madman has my godson. Has been hunting for him and none of you thought to say anything.”

            “It wasn’t our place, Tony.” Darcy argued.

            “Wasn’t your place? It wasn’t your place to keep it from me! Now he’s god knows where at the mercy of whoever the fuck that was all because of you.”

            In two easy strides, Steve was in Tony’s face. “Hey, back off. This isn’t their fault. It’s nobody’s fault.”

            He saw the punch coming and he took it gladly, hoping that it would calm the other man’s nerves enough. “What else are you all hiding?” Tony snapped as Steve straightened. Steve opened his mouth to respond but was cut off by JARVIS. “Sir, Mr. Thompson and Deadpool are on the elevator.”

            “What? Why are they…” Tony began but then the doors opened and Deadpool marched into the room with a worried looking Flash on his heels.

            “Where is he?” Deadpool growled at them.

            Steve brows shot up. He had met the mercenary before but this man…he was different. Steve saw the bullet necklaces around his neck.

            “Who?” Tony snapped.

            “Spider-Man. I know you snotheads saw the news.”

            “Yeah, we saw it and then some.”

            Flash frowned. “What do you mean?”

            “Do you know, Flash? About Peter?”

            “We both know,” Deadpool answered, obviously growing more agitated. “Where is he?”

            Steve could see the tension rising in Tony and the others who weren’t in the loop. Deadpool was on their list of individuals to stay away from at all costs and if they couldn’t then they were to show no mercy. He stepped forward, putting himself between Deadpool and the others.

            “Look, Deadpool, I know about your relationship with Peter. Listen to me. Peter is in the hands of some bad people. Do you know anything?”

            “It’s that Sneigoski shit-bag.” Deadpool snarled. “Where is he, tin-can?”

            “Why the hell are you even here, Deadpool. Just get lost.” Tony snapped.

            “Don’t tell me to get lost when my boyfriend is sitting in some cell getting the shit beat out of him!”

            “Oh shit,” Clint breathed from his perch and Steve could have sworn he felt the temperature in the room drop.

            “Excuse me?” Tony said from behind him. Steve took a step back so he could see both men.

            “You heard me. Peter is my boyfriend. I’m not going anywhere until I know he is safe. I’m either doing this with or without you, Stark.”

            Tony looked ready to kill but he made eye contact with Steve, who shook his head. The man deflated. “Fine. As soon as he is back here you are to stay away from him do I make myself clear?”

            “Crystal.”

            Natasha chose that moment to stand and stride towards the exit.

            “Where are you going?”

            “To suit up. I want to leave as soon as possible.” With that she strolled out of the room. Steve glanced at Bucky who had been silent and he was met with dark eyes filled with cold determination. He nodded at Steve before stalking after the red-haired assassin. Steve sighed heavily, his chest heavy with worry. It was going to be a long night.

[][][]

Tony never expected that living with a teenager would be so damn stressful. It made him want to drink sometimes because he just didn’t know what he was doing. He wanted to do his best by the kid but with butting heads with the government was taking up way too much of his time and attention. He found himself glad that the Avengers were living together as a team. They helped when he couldn’t be there for Peter. He was doing everything he could to keep the government off their backs. It was a grueling task. But then Spider-Man happened. Tony was honestly shocked when the once-hero appeared with the intent to destroy his building. A building that had hundreds of people in and out. A building where Pepper’s office was located. When he saw Spider-man, he felt rage but as quickly as the man appeared did he disappear. He knew the second it happened he would have to deal with the back lash. When the D.A. called with the Police chief, he knew that his case for superhumans remaining free was getting slimmer.

            Something was wrong. He could see it in Peter’s face when they announced the news but he had been too angry about what happened to think much of it. He let the boy run for his room, despite wanting to follow. When Peter disappeared from the facility did he realize his mistake. He should have pressed why Peter was so upset. Tony could only imagine why. It didn’t make sense to him. Not at the time. As he watched his godson be strung up in a bare room, bruised and bleeding, being tormented did all the pieces click into place. Denial was a harsh thing that just slapped Tony in the face. His godson was Spider-Man and he perhaps found out in the worse way possible. As the shock settled in so did the cold reality of the direness of the situation that they were in.

            Tony didn’t know what to feel so he settled on the default emotion: anger. He couldn’t bring himself to feel fear like he wanted to. No. He had to get Peter back and he was willing to do anything until he knew Peter was safe again.

            “Sir,” JARVIS said, interrupting the silence. “I have a location.” His AI pulled up a hologram. The map focused in on a secluded area outside of New York City. “It appears that there are a series of buildings known as Sneicorp.”

            Tony growled, the pieces coming together. Sniegoski had just been a thorn in their sides. That’s why the case had been passed off to Spider-Man when he had managed to reign Deadpool in from committing mass slaughter.

            “Get me all the information you can.”

            “Already done, sir, and I’m still trying to tap into their video feed.”

            Files appeared before his eyes and he began reading through the standard company information and blue prints of the facilities.

            Deadpool was pacing behind him. “Let’s go now. We know where. What the fuck are we waiting for?”

            “You have to rescue Peter,” Darcy spoke up, her voice scratchy and her eyes red. Tony couldn’t look at either of them. He didn’t want to acknowledge the mercenary’s presence much less why he was here.

            “We are about to suit up,” Tony said as Bucky and Natasha returned.

            “No, you are not,” a familiar voice announced from the source of the entrance. They all turned to see Nick Fury stroll into the room.

            “Says who?” Tony snarked. “You? Last I checked you had retired.”

            “That’s my business. Now onto yours. You will not storm Sniecorp with your weapons halfcocked and no plan of action.”

            “They have Spider-Man…” Clint said, sounding frustrated as Tony felt.

            “No, they have Peter Parker.”

            “Of course you knew,” Clint grumbled beneath his breath. “How long have you known?”

            “Longer than any of you ass-wipes.” Fury clasped his hands behind his back. “Now exactly what is your plan, Stark?”

            “Enter the facility and take Peter back.”

            “Fuck up the psycho,” Deadpool added with a disgruntled growl.

            “And what if he’s not there?”

            “Are you saying my tech is wrong?”

            “Yes.”

            Steve spoke up then. “Tony, hear him out. Think about it. Something isn’t right here. Why would Sniegoski try poking us with a stick? He knows that we would do everything within our power to rescue Peter. So why? Why provoke the Avengers in such a way?”

            “And that is the million-dollar question.”

            “We know that McMillen is working Sniegoski,” Darcy said suddenly.

            “McMillen is the one who wants everyone registered.” Steve added, crossing his arms over his chest.

            “It’s a trick,” Tony concluded, looking at the map, the information clicking into place. “Peter isn’t there. He wants us to show up and destroy his facility looking for Peter and he won’t be there. We’ll be all over the news the next day for acting out of jurisdiction.”

            “But how can we be sure,” Deadpool argued. “It’s the best lead we got. I’m fucking going.”

            “Not alone,” Fury interrupted calmly.

            Deadpool paused, head swiveling to look at the ex-director. “What you talking about, Clearance?”

            “I agree we should send someone to Sneicorp… just not high profile heroes. So, Deadpool, I’ve gathered you a partner who is willing to assist you off the books. I believe you two have worked together before.” Fury turned back to the entrance.  “Daredevil.”

            “Devilboy!” Deadpool responded, a little more brightly.

            Tony watched as a man in red came through his door, feeling unsure.

            “What do you know, Stark,” Daredevil asked, completely ignoring Deadpool.

            They took about an hour devising a plan and informing the duo of everything that they knew.  Tony didn’t know how to feel. Part of him was just itching to take the risk and just go himself, the repercussion be damned. The thing was he wouldn’t be the only one affected by his decision to fly off the handle. He would bring the whole team down with him. It would only give McMillen ammunition for his crusade. Tony couldn’t allow that man to win. He could see how sending low profile vigilantes in would save them from such repercussions.

            “Why?” He found himself asking the other man. He had heard of him, rumors. Myths. Why would he put himself on the line for his godson?

            Daredevil answered after a brief pause. “I know his identity as he knows mine. We vigilantes have to look out for one another. Spider-Man gave a damn about this city. The kid is passionate and determined.” The man reached out and clasped Tony’s shoulder. “He’s strong, Stark. He will make it through this.”

            Tony was stunned by the determination in his voice. “Thank you.” He replied softly.

            “Uh, guys,” Flash suddenly said, looking up from his phone. “You might want to turn on the news.”

            Tony frowned further. “JARVIS?”

            The TV turned back on immediately, showing the news. There was a picture of Spider-Man’s face as the news anchor woman spoke.

            _“The case involving Spider-Man has grown more complicated and now people are beginning to wonder if it was really Spider-Man who was behind those attacks. Now protestors are filling the streets in response to the video clip that went viral earlier today, demanding for efforts to be taken to rescue the once vigilante.”_

            Tony stared in awe at the news reel showed footage of people on the streets with crudely, hastily made signs proclaiming concern and love for Spider-Man. The woman went on. _“It seems that the Daily Bugle and other deniers of the masked vigilante has underestimated New York’s overwhelming love for our hero, Spider-Man. So I ask of you, NYPD, SHIELD, the Avengers, what are you going to do to save Spider-Man?”_

            “Holy shit,” Darcy breathed out.

            “Gentlemen, I think it’s time for you to head out. Peter is waiting for us.” Fury said, drawing himself up. “There is a helicopter ready for you on the launch pad.”

            Tony watched as the four men, including Deadpool of all fucking people, leave the compound to go rescue his godson. He clenched his fist, desperate to go with them. Fury clapped him on the shoulder. “Come. There is work for us to do.”

[][][]

            Flash held his breath as he watched Mr. Stark leave. He felt anxiety coil in his belly as the other Avengers leave to go do whatever heroes did in times like this. He didn’t recognize the guy with the eye patch but he obviously held some kind of authority. Daredevil actually clapped him on the shoulder as he walked by and Deadpool even paused to speak to him.

            “Keep an eye on things here.” The merc told him. “If you see anything fishy going on, let me know immediately.”

            Flash’s eyes widened dramatically. “You want me to spy on the Avengers?”

            “More the people they end up talking to. Just keep me in the loop…I’ll bring him back, Flash.”

            He nodded. “I know.”

            With that Deadpool walked out and Darcy came over to him, pulling him into a tight hug. Her eyes were red. He couldn’t blame her for crying. Flash wanted to cry too and he probably would before it was all over. Peter was his best friend and seeing him like that had been a punch to the gut.

            “It’s my fault,” Darcy said softly into his shoulder. He pulled back to look at her.

            “What are you talking about?”

            “If I would have just told somebody, Peter wouldn’t have been taken.”

            “Look, Darcy, it’s not your fault. It’s not anyone’s fault. It’s that bastard who took him So don’t even blame yourself. You hear me?”

            “Y-yeah…”

            “We just have to be there for him when he gets back, okay? Mr. Stark hasn’t hit the fan yet.”

            Darcy nodded. “I know. I…I don’t know what is going to happen.”

            Flash shrugged in reply. There was no telling how anybody was going to handle any of what was happening. He just hoped that everyone would be able to hold it together until they got Peter back.

            “Hey, Darcy, can you give me a ride home? And then bring me back? I want to stay here until they find Peter and I need a change of clothes.”

            Darcy shared a sad smile. “Sure… Oh, Sam!”

Flash turned and saw the soldier walk back into the room. The man looked as weary as everyone felt. He perked up when Darcy called to him. “What’s going on?”

“I’m taking Flash into the city so he can pack a bag. He wants to stay here until they find Peter.”

            Sam seemed to hesitate. “Let me go with you guys. We are under high alert right now.”

            Flash and Darcy traded glances and nodded. “Okay. More the merrier.”

            They were crammed into Darcy’s small vehicle, heading into the city soon after. Flash felt so tired. He had stayed up all afternoon, keeping an eye on Wade while he healed. Then the news came on and the clip began to play of Spider-Man just as Deadpool woke. Now it was approaching morning. He had no idea what was going to happen next.

            They pulled up to his house and he told them to wait in the car since he wouldn’t be long. His father was in the kitchen. Flash sneaked pass, feeling the uptick in his heart rate. He didn’t want to get into it with his father. Not now. He hurried into his room and grabbed his back pack and began stuffing it with clothes, computer and its charger along with the one for his phone and hygiene products. He grabbed his homework and books just in case as well even though he didn’t think he would be spending a lot of time studying. Once he was satisfied that he had everything he needed, Flash headed back downstairs. He was cut off by his father though. The man stood tall and intimidating, reeking of alcohol. His old man’s face was red and twisted in anger.

            “Where the hell you been, boy?” His dad paused, looking at his bag. “Where the hell you think you are going?”

            “I’m leaving. I don’t know when I’ll be back.” Flash tried to push pass him but his father grabbed his arm and threw him against the wall. He grunted as pain exploded along his shoulder. His father had been good but then again Flash had trodden on eggshells around him in recent months. Flash didn’t have time to prepare for the fist when it slammed into his face. He gasped for air, trying to regain his balance. Flash thought about Peter and the things that he was going through. He couldn’t help but think “if Parker can stand up to a mad man than you can stand up to your father” and that is exactly what Flash Thompson did.

            Flash drew himself up to his full height and settled his father with a dark look. “I’ve had enough. You can go to hell, you old bastard.”

            When his father moved to hit him, Flash beat him to it. He threw his entire eight into hitting his old man in the jaw. He fell like sack of bones, yelling out obscenities. He stepped over his father and walked to the exit, ignoring the threats spat his way. Closing the door felt oddly like saying goodbye. He got into the car where Darcy and Sam looked at him knowingly but didn’t say anything. Darcy stopped by a late night CVS and picked him up an ice pack for his black eye on the way home. They made it back to the facility and his stomach flipped uneasily when Steve approached him.

            Captain America, he was dressed in his full gear, shield included, and pulled the ice pack from his face to examine the bruise. “You aren’t going back. I won’t have it.”

            Flash knew better to argue and to be honest, he didn’t want to go back. He had found something in his friendship with Peter. He had found a family and a sense of purpose. “Yes, sir.”

[][][]

            {This fucking sucks.} Yellow box commented.

            [Something isn’t right about this.] White box replied smoothly.

            The voices had been constantly rattling off since Wade woke. They knew something was amiss when he woke to the panicked look on Flash’s face. The poor kid had a shitty mattress. The next thing Wade noticed was that both his and Peter’s necklaces were around his neck. Flash quickly filled him in on what happened so far and Wade was stunned. They had been on their way to the Avenger Facility when Flash checked the news. He pulled over as soon as Spider-Man was mentioned, because while he might have a death wish, others didn’t. _Don’t text and drive, kids._ The voices went silent as they watched Spider-Man, no, Peter hang there in a barren room. His chest was exposed, battered to hell and his breathing uneven. Then the man walked into the room and Wade immediately knew who it was. Fucking Sneigoski. When the feed cut off, the voices began screaming in his head. It took a lot of concentration not to enter a full argument with them. He didn’t want to freak out Flash too much. The boy looked terrified at what crossed his phone screen.

            Wade didn’t waste time in getting to the Avengers. When they strolled in, Wade knew something was amiss among the ranks of the Avengers. He didn’t care if they knew. He didn’t care if they found out if he was dating Peter. If they weren’t going to help, he was going alone. He would tear the city apart until he found him. He couldn’t lose the one good thing to happen to him in his life. He didn’t deserve the kid but he was going get him back no matter what.

            He was quiet. It was a testament to how much Peter changed him. Calmed him. Wade knew what he would have done before he met Spider-Man. He wouldn’t care what lives he took, who he insulted. Now? He felt more human than he had in very long time.

            “You are different,” Daredevil said as they rode in the unmarked helicopter.

            “Yeah? What was your first clue?”

            “When did things change between you and Spider-Man?”

            Wade didn’t reply for a moment. When did things change? Deadpool would have killed Spider-Man in the beginning if it suited him. Even when they were just partners working on a case together, Spider-Man was genuine with him. Honest. Kind. Deadpool didn’t get much of that these days. Then the kid laughed at his jokes. Honestly enjoyed them. Deadpool wasn’t a fool. He knew that most barely tolerated him while others were intimidated by him but not once did Spider-Man blanche in his direction. Peter didn’t even blink an eye. It was so fucking grounding for Wade since most days he couldn’t tell what was reality and what wasn’t. The days no long blended together. He stopped self-destructing on impulse. The voices grew tamer, staying silent for long stretches of time. Peter was his light in the darkness.

            “When he didn’t treat me like a monster,” Deadpool replied. He never would have said that to anyone, not even Death. “When he believed in me more than I believed in myself.”

            Daredevil tilted his head, probably listening. “I’ve known him for a while now. He’s good. Perhaps the greatest good out of all of us.”

            “That’s for sure.”

            “We’ll get him back.”

            “Damn straight, we are.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOW!!!! I never thought I would get this chapter up but here we are. I was very nervous about uploading this because I felt like I was pushing major boundaries but I honestly wouldn't have it any other way. 
> 
> So Tony knows now. I'm sure not what many were expecting. 
> 
> Feel free to comment or ask questions. 
> 
> Thank you for waiting. I know it has been awhile.


	16. What a Tragedy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: violence, mentions of torture, and many intense emotions. If you have concerns, feel free to message me.

Something was wrong. Terribly wrong. Peter fought against the haze that had settled over him. As he realized that he was not laying down, sleeping in a bed, he struggled to come alert. He opened his eyes but it was black. For a second he wondered if he had even opened them at all. No he was wearing his mask but…the lens had been blacked out. His arms were stretched above his head, holding him suspended just so he couldn’t rest his body on his knees or get his feet under him. He tried tugging on the binds but his muscles felt far too weak.

            He jerked when he heard a door open followed by a man singing. “Itsy bitsy spider went up the water spout.” Peter struggled against the bonds as the voice drew closer. “Down came the rain and washed the spider out!”  

            Peter’s body seized and a split second later he screamed as intense pain rolled over him in waves. When it stopped his body trembled and he gasped for air. He thought his heart was going to pound right out of his chest. He heard the man start talking again, “New York! Your beloved Spider-Man is now in my care. Don’t worry I’ll take good care of him though.”

            His body seized again as the shock of electricity coursed through him, renewing the pain. He gulped for air, willing his heart to keep beating. He felt like it might stop; it was fluttering irregularly.

            “Now everyone of New York say good bye to your little spider because after today he will no longer be your hero.” There was a pause, they waited silently before the man spoke again. “Greetings, Avengers. I hope you are all watching. Especially you, Tony Stark, because I have something that belongs to you.”

            The man’s footsteps seemed to echo in the room as he walked around behind Peter. A hand came to rest on his head. The mask was yanked off and the lights blinded Peter as the man grabbed him by the hair and yanked his hair to keep his head raised. Once his eyes adjusted, he could see a camera pointed right at his face.

            “Does this look familiar, Mr. Stark? I know he’s a little banged up but surely you can tell who this is. Hate to be the bearer of bad news but, yes, your godson is Spider-Man.” The man let Peter’s head drop. He trembled, unable to care what was on the other side of the camera lens. The man touched the electric rod to his side again, his body jerking and protesting. His screams echoed through the room. Tears slipped down his face.

            “Peter, Peter, Peter…” The man sang as he walked off. Peter raised his head, glancing at the camera before turning his attention to his tormentor. He looked like any other person. The man was average height with average build. His dark hair was neatly combed and styled and his clothes were pressed and well fitted.

            “W-why?” He choked out around the tightness in his throat.

            “Why what? Ask me what you want to know, Peter. I don’t want to make you my enemy.”

            _Yeah, right._ “Why are you doing this?”

            The man scoffed, his dark eyes flashing dangerously. “Well, Peter, your alter ego has proven to be a problem for me. Do you know how much money you have cost me over the last few months? More than you’ll ever see in your lifetime.” Peter felt his stomach drop as the man turned around from the table, a revolver in his hand. _Sniegoski._

            His breathing quickened, his spidey-senses were quelled, as Sniegoski moved beside Peter. He squeezed his eyes shut as the barrel kissed his temple, heart beating erratically. “You cost me far too much money for me to allow you to run loose.”

            The click as the chamber turned over sounded like an explosion in his ear, causing him to flinch away and his body to tremble. “There is only one bullet. I wonder how long you have,” Sniegoski taunted coldly, pulling the trigger again. Peter’s nerves couldn’t handle this. No. This couldn’t be happening. He couldn’t die. His Aunt, Flash, Tony…Wade…but then again maybe, just maybe this was for the best. If he was gone…then they would no longer be targets. They could go on with their lives and he wouldn’t be able to hurt them anymore. If he died here, it wouldn’t be the end of the world.

            The chamber turned over and his spidey-senses flared lightly in the back of his brain, pushing past the drugs in his system. This was it. He closed his eyes as acceptance settled in chest and for a moment, he felt peace.

            The gun moved away.

            “What a tragedy. To be so young and so prepared to die.”

            His eyes flew open, unable to describe the feelings inside of him. “Why!” Peter screamed after the man, struggling against his bonds.

            “Why?” Sniegoski turned on his heel and knelt in front of Peter. So close that Peter could make out the freckles that dusted the man’s nose and see the long lashes that framed dark eyes with crow lines.  “Because I realized something from watching you. From tracking your every move. I realized that you are a well of untapped potential. It’s a shame that others didn’t see it. Just think, your relationship would be so much different with SHIELD and the Avengers.”

            Peter glanced at the camera again. Something wasn’t quite adding up. “Why do this? Why provoke the Avengers like this?”

            Sniegoski chuckled darkly. “You think the Avengers frighten me? They won’t find you, Peter…not in time anyway.

            “So what? You are going to kill me?”

            “I was but not now. Like I said, you are capable of so much more.” Sniegoski stood but not without hitting Peter in the face in a very sudden act of violence. Peter gasped, spitting out blood.

            Peter kept quiet, thinking. “I don’t understand,” he admitted after a moment.

            “You know your roommate, Bucky Barnes?”

            His stomach gave an uneasy turn. “What about him?”

            “I’m going to take a page from Hydra’s playbook. Just think about it! You were able to slip right under the Avenger’s noses and not get caught! When they attacked you earlier today? You were able to slip away, mostly unscathed and unprepared. Just imagine how much money you will make me being the greatest assassin known to man and you can’t even act upon your free will.”

            Peter felt his face go slack, panic coiling in his belly at the very thought. “You are going to brainwash me and just make me into a puppet for you.”

            “Just imagine the look on Captain America’s face right before you snap his neck!” Sniegoski’s laugh echoed through the room. Peter felt like he might throw up. “And Tony Stark’s! One by one you will one day kill the Avengers.”

Peter couldn’t look at the man any longer. He looked into the camera.

“Of course. We’ll have to run some experiments. Test those limits. I suggest we begin with your healing processing. See exactly how adept it truly is.” He walked back over to him with a baton in his hand. “Have anything you’d like to say to your friends before we begin? Because no matter what the outcome is, you will not leave the same person you came here as.”

He licked his lips, tasting the blood and salt on them. He recalled the feeling of the readiness in dying just moments ago. Fuck that. He wasn’t going to let Sniegoski win. Peter put every ounce of hatred he had ever felt into his glare at Sniegoski. “I think you should work on your right hook. That last one tickled.” He spat in the man’s face for good measure. The last thing he saw was the baton flying towards his head.

[][][]

            {I don’t like this}

            [None of us like this]

            Wade glowered at the array of strategically placed buildings. Most of them were unmarked save for the company logo on the largest one. He remained silent so that Daredevil could do his thing but it was proving to only test his patience. As badly as he wanted to, he couldn’t just burst forth and tear the place down wall by wall, searching for Peter. It could only get Peter killed if he did that. So he waited for Daredevil to pinpoint Peter’s location.

            “I can’t locate him,” the other fighter finally said.

            “What the hell?”

            “Wait. There is an underground bunker. It’s a sound proof room. If he is here, that’s where he is.”

            “Alright. Let’s go. Lead the way, Devilboy.”

            It was still early in the morning, dark and cold. Wade paid it no mind as they sprinted across the open field surrounding the complex and went straight for the main building. They had to shut down the alarm system. Director Pirate had a key card for the buildings for some reason. It was easy getting inside, lights flicking on as they hurried through the empty halls and down into the basement where the tech system was. Wade moved to the computer system and logged into the system. In all it took maybe five minutes to disable the alarms. So far everything was going according to plan.

            “Let’s blow this popsicle stand,” Wade growled once they finished, working their way back across the main building before people showed for the day. Once back outside, Daredevil led them to one of the smaller buildings that looked innocent enough but once inside, he knew it was anything but.

            It was a maze of labs that brought him back to his Weapon X days. In glass cells there were restricted superhumans, some were obviously tortured and dying. Failed experiments. Men and women in lab coats didn’t notice them. Wade assumed that the windows were two way or maybe they just didn’t care. He didn’t kill them as long as they didn’t pay him any attention. Daredevil led him down a flight of stair to another experimentation lab. They came to a vaulted door. It slid open easily enough since they had disabled the alarms. Once it was open, Daredevil hesitated.

            “He’s not here, Deadpool.”

            “No.” Wade shook his head. “He has be here.”

            “He’s not. This is it. There is nothing down there except…We have to go. Now!”

            Deadpool didn’t question it as he took off after the vigilante at a hard run until they were outside the building. There was a terribly familiar noise right before the force threw them for yards. Wade watched the debris fall back in place, the screams echoing against the trees. Other explosions went off around them. Two more buildings getting destroyed.

            “Damnit!” Wade roared at the wreckage.

            “We need to get out of here. Peter wasn’t here. It really was a trap.”

            Daredevil began running back through the woods but Wade stayed right there, glaring up at the Sniegoski’s logo. “I’ll find him, you bastard! When I do you are a dead man walking!”

 

[][][]

            Tony had never been more disappointed than when Deadpool and Daredevil returned later that morning, completely empty handed. The bombing of Sniecorp was already on the news. They were blaming rogue superhumans. There would have been a very different news story if it had been him and the Avengers caught at the crime scene. It didn’t change the fact that Peter was still missing. The kidnapping of Spider-Man was now global news. Tony watched the constant stream of internet opinions. He was surprised to discovered the amount of people who wanted to know if Spider-Man was safe. While the vigilante didn’t always have a popular public opinion it was obvious that he now did.

            “Mr. Stark?” A young voice called out hesitantly.

            Tony pulled his eyes away from the multiple projected screens to look at Flash. The boy looked so tire and so scared, his blue eyes bright with unshed tears. It was so obvious that he was trying to hold it together, not to break down in front of them. “What is it, Flash?”

            “Peter…”

            “I don’t want to talk about it.”

            “I think you should, sir. Let me…Peter is Spider-Man but to me he is Peter Parker and my best friend. He’s my brother. I knew he was Spider-Man when he took me to the hospital. I’ve patched him up. Held him when he cried. He came to me when you guys would fight and I helped keep his secret…and I’m sorry, Mr. Stark. I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you.”

            Tony felt the anger…the fear boil in his stomach. Yes, he was angry that he had been left in the dark but he was angrier at himself than anyone else. He was the one to blame.

            “You are just kids. You didn’t deserve this. Neither of you.”

            “And yet here we are…Mr. Stark, Peter is going to need us. I-I don’t know what this is going to do to him, you know, mentally.”

            “What do you mean?”

            “Peter has been dealing with some stuff before this. He’s been depressed…he blames himself for a lot of stuff. Way too much.”

            Tony didn’t respond. Flash eventually left without another word but it gave him more to consider. He kept running through the time they had spent together and it all made sense. It explained his wild behavior. He just wasn’t sure how this would change their relationship. Through the day people came to check on him. Sam and Steve offered a reassuring presence. Natasha came back with updates on the interactions between the mayor and SHIELD. Tony couldn’t bring himself to care about the technicalities. Pepper showed and pulled him into a warm hug. He released the breath he had been holding and he cried into her shoulder. She held him and cried right with him. Neither of them said it, but it did feel like they had lost a child.

            Wanda helped them all to sleep when night rolled around and still no word about Peter. Time kept ticking. He didn’t see Deadpool for about a day. Come to find out the mercenary and Daredevil had been digging into old contacts and searching the city for Peter. The merc had returned after day three. They were all anxious at every second that ticked by and still no Peter. JARVIS must have been working the hardest, hacking into satellites around the world, looking for facial recognitions and still trying to break that damn system.

They moved back to the Avenger Tower in the city. They all felt the need to be in the center of everything just in case. Tony headed into the kitchen after Bruce convinced him that he needed to eat something. Deadpool was sitting on the counter, quietly listening to Natasha, Steve and Sam talk. Tony noticed that he was rolling two bullets between his fingers. He recognized them as one of the necklaces that Peter had started to wear.

            “So you are Peter’s boyfriend?”

            Deadpool looked up as the others fell silent. “Gonna give me the shovel talk now, Pops? Just let you know, your shotgun can’t kill me.”

            Tony leaned against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest. “I wouldn’t shoot you. I’d lock you in cage at the bottom of the ocean.”

            “I’d expect no less.”

            “What has changed you?”

            “What do you think? My boyfriend is god knows where and there isn’t a damn thing I can do about it. I’m mad as hell. I want to go blow the brains of anyone who crosses me. Hell, I want to blow my own brains out…but I won’t.”

            “What’s stopping you?” Tony knew all too well about Deadpool’s volatile past.

            “Peter,” the merc admitted. “I promised him I wouldn’t kill anymore.”

            “And you are keeping it?” Natasha interrupted bitingly. “I find that very hard to believe.”

            “Doesn’t matter what you think, She-devil. Only what Peter thinks of me.”

            Tony opened his mouth to say something when JARVIS stopped him. “Sir! Spider-Man has been spotted in Manhattan, south of the Tower! I advise you get suited immediately. He is being pursued by several superhumans.”

            His AI pulled up the news reel being shot by a news helicopter, following the slender figure of none other than Spider-Man. His suit was torn and dirty, the lens of his mask missing but it was unmistakably Peter. They wasted no time in getting suited up, the sense of urgency too extreme after days of hearing and knowing nothing. He was so close to coming home that Tony didn’t want to take any chances. He was bringing his boy home.

[][][]

            He wasn’t sure how much time had passed. The moments seemed to stretch on forever at the same time blending together. They kept him drugged and weak, left him in a haze that was broken by nightmares and pain. Sniegoski over saw it personally, telling him about how the Avengers have yet to come looking for him. At first Peter refused to believe that his friends hadn’t come to rescue him but as he was subjected to even more cruel acts, he was slowly loosing hope. They kept him in nothing more than a hospital gown in a cold cell where scientists would watch his healing process. Watch how he reacted to various drugs and stimuluses. He had never felt less human in his entire life.

            Then his moment came. A glimmer of light at the end of a very dark tunnel. The scientist entered the cell and knelt down next to his trembling form to give him his routine injection of Void. Very quietly she whispered, “this is a counter anecdote to Void. In less than an hour you should regain your powers. Your suit is on a table in the observation room. That is all I can do to help you. The rest is up to you.”

            “Wait. Why?” He croaked.

            “Sniegoski…I can’t…He has to be stopped.”

            He watched her press the syringe into the IV before getting up to leave. _Survive_. Ran a mantra through his head. Sure enough within the next hour, his spidey-senses returned with an alarming flare and his ability to stick to surfaces came back. He released a sigh he broke the manacles on his wrists and ankles before limping to the door which had been left unlocked. The room was empty save for a control panel and a table that had his suit. He pulled on the costume, breaking the blacked out eye pieces so he could see before making a venture beyond these four walls.

            Peter pushed pass the weakness in his limbs and the pain. He couldn’t afford to stop now. He couldn’t stop. He couldn’t lose his nerve. His hands shook as he stepped out into the deserted hallway. He moved as quickly and quietly as he could down the hall. He released a sigh when he found a ventilation shaft. He escaped into the small duct and began to crawl his way out despite how his body protested. He froze when alarms began going off, startling him. He listened to people running beneath going to where he had come from. Once they had passed, he hurried forward. Peter had to get out before Sniegoski’s mutant henchmen showed. The duct came to an end and he had to drop down into an empty room. His senses spiked suddenly so he ducked behind a door to hide right before it swung open. He acted on instinct as he grabbed the man, locking his arm across his throat until the man went limp.

            He slipped out into the hall and began to run, ducking around corners. Peter couldn’t even begin to describe the sense of desperation he felt. He felt tears soak through his mask as he followed the maze of hallways. He came across another scientist who looked as shocked as him. Peter grabbed him and threw him against the wall.

            “Tell me how to get out of here,” he pressed his forearm over his neck. “Tell me now!”

            The man choked for air, struggling and gasping, until he finally raised his arm towards a hallway. Peter dragged him along. “If you are lying, I’ll…I’ll kill you.”

            He couldn’t afford to focus on the bitter feeling that tightened his throat. He didn’t care. He went down the hall and found a staircase. He began heading up and up, the man still in tow. Of course Peter couldn’t get much further without running into trouble. The door opened below them and he saw, Trisha, the super-strengthened woman who had been haunting him since he came here. She smirked up at him.

            “Oh, baby, don’t tell me you are trying to leave so soon. We aren’t done playing with you yet.”

            Peter pushed the man out of the way and darted up the stairs, leaping as far as he could stretch until he reached the top of the stairs. He could hear her chasing him, yelling for back up. He shuddered at the thought. When he couldn’t go any higher, he took the first door he came to and sprinted down the brightly lit hallway, his eyes set on the window. He pushed harder, the blood pounding in his ears drowning out all other noises as he leapt and threw his body into the panel. The glass gave, shattering around him and he was falling. Fortunately, there was another building right next door. He collided with the side but managed to hang on before scrambling up the side.

            He could see the Avenger’s tower standing tall like a giant eyesore far in the distance. Peter didn’t stop running. All he knew was that there were people chasing him. At some point a helicopter had emerged, it’s spot light tracking his moves. He skidded to a halt as Trisha dropped down in front of him with a grin.

            “Come now. Did you really think you could get away? You belong to Sniegoski now.”

            “Wrong!” A large black man yelled as he appeared out of nowhere, slamming his fist into her face. She went flying, her face twisting into shock. “He belongs to New York.”

            “I don’t know who you think you are but you are out matched, Power-Man.”

            By this point more of the mutant henchmen had caught up to them, ranging in powers. Peter hesitated but then he saw a familiar face. Daredevil jumped down onto the roof with another man he didn’t recognize.

            “I don’t think so,” Matt growled, pulling out his weapons. “Get to the tower, Spidey. We’ll handle them. I’ve been waiting to do this for days.”

            Peter hesitated, taken by surprise. He didn’t even know the other two men but they seemed so willing to put themselves at risk for him. “Thank you,” he said finally before taking off again. Eventually he dropped to the street, his body unable to make the jumps any longer. He had no clue what kind of damage his body was suffering from. He didn’t even want to think about what they had done to him over however long he had been locked up. People cleared out of the way but eventually he had to stop, his body ready to give out. Young kids ran up to him. All of them looking panicked and on the verge of crying. He recognized some of their faces but he couldn’t hear a word any of them said. His world seemed to slow down around him, his spidey-senses flaring. He saw Trisha appear on the street, grinning with bloody teeth. Peter vaguely wondered why. Why was this happening. Why couldn’t he just go home?

            Then the sounds of panicked and confused children lit a primal response inside him and Peter moved to square off with her. She charged at him and Peter held his ground, taking the brunt of the kick to his side. Pain exploded, causing the air to leave his lung. He punched her hard in the gut and she snarled, kicking him at his legs. He screamed in pain as his legs caved and he dropped to the ground. He watched as she drew a gun and pointed it at him…but then a familiar red, white and blue shield clipped the gun, knocking it out of her hands. She took off as Captain America came barreling their way. She hopped into a black van and then they dispeared with two motorcycles in pursuit. It looked suspiciously like Natasha and Bucky. The city lights were dancing before his eye but then he was looking into Steve’s face.

            “I have him. Spider-Man is now in my custody…He’s alive, Tony. He’s going to be okay.”

            Very gently, Steve lifted Peter into the air. Peter didn’t protest one bit. He couldn’t begin to describe how relieved he was.

            “Steve…”

            “Shhh. Rest now, son. You did good. You are safe.”

            Peter sighed deeply before allowing himself to be consumed by the pain and exhaustion.

[][][]

            Steve pushed through the crowd that had gathered with the young hero in his arms, trying to get back to the truck. Bruce and Sam held the back doors open for him before slamming them shut as he leaped inside. Steve laid Peter’s body on the bench before sitting down with his head in his lap. “Where are we going, Cap?”

            “The Tower.”

            “Got it!”

            He heard over the comm that Bucky and Natasha had lost the superhuman and were coming back to escort them. Tony wasn’t far behind them, having given up his own search when he had gotten news that Peter was secure. Bruce knelt next to the still boy as the vehicle jerked forward in motion. They had all agreed that Bruce was the only medic that they trusted with Peter. Steve removed Peter’s mask as Bruce began cutting away the top part of his suit. Steve felt his stomach drop as he took in the bruises, Peter’s face barely recognizable. Then his chest was exposed and Steve had to swallow back the feeling of anger and despair. They were silent as Bruce got to work.

            “His blood pressure is dangerously low…” Bruce said after a moment of checking his vitals. He began feeling along Peter’s battered rib cage, checking cuts and lacerations. “He might be bleeding internally.”

            Bruce pulled out his cell and pressed it to his ear. “Hi…yes, we are on our way. You’ll need to get prepped for surgery. I suspect he is bleeding internally and his breathing is erratic. I think he might have punctured lung due to a fractured rib. He has a number of lacerations and bruises. Some days old. They don’t look good so there is a possibility for infection…” As he spoke the doctor placed the portable oxygen mask over Peter’s mouth and nose before reaching to lift the lid of his good eye and shine a light in it. “Shit.” Bruce swore. “His pupils are dilated.”

            Steve glanced up at Sam and saw the strained look on his friend’s face. This wasn’t easy for any of them. To hear Bruce go on cataloging the potential injuries was hard to swallow. He could only imagine what kind of hell Peter had lived in for the last few days while they were frantically searching for him. Steve just held the boy gently and stroke his hair, silently praying. Peter surprised them when he groaned and forced his bleary eyes open. Steve felt him tense and realized he was about to struggle.

            “Easy, Peter. I’m here. You are safe.”

            “Hurts…” Came the weak reply, reaching for the mask. Bruce removed it for him and asked, “Where does it hurt, Peter?”

            “Everywhere… I…can’t breathe.”

            “Wear the mask for me, okay? We are almost there.” Bruce returned the oxygen mask but Peter had begun to tremble violently.

            “I’m going to start him on an IV,” Bruce said as he pulled out the equipment from his medical bag. Sam knelt to hold Peter’s arm steady while Bruce swabbed the inner elbow and inserted the needle. Peter jerked but fortunately in his weakened state he couldn’t dislodge Steve and Sam.

            “No…”

            Steve frowned. “No what, Peter?”

            “No needles.”

            Steve felt his chest clench. “It’s okay, Peter. It’ll make you feel better.”

            Peter was no longer listening as he began to struggle but Steve held him tightly without hurting him further as Bruce worked. After a moment, Peter was still fighting them and Bruce frowned.

            “That should have subdued him…”

            “His metabolism,” Steve said suddenly. “It’s accelerated. He needs more for it to work.”

            Bruce didn’t look reassured by this as he began giving more, pausing and then upping the dosage again until finally Peter calmed down and slipped back into sleep. “That’s about the amount you are given, Captain.”

            “Not surprised, honestly.”

            Bruce shook his head as he began to give Peter fluids in hopes of further stabilizing him until they reached their destination. It seemed to take forever and a lifetime before they reached the tower. The whole Avenger family was there waiting for them including Helen Cho. Steve was surprised to see the brilliant doctor but understood immediately why she was here and it made sense. They had all decided that they would guard Peter’s identity and would only want the best to see to his injuries. Steve laid Peter down on the gurney and then watched helplessly as Bruce and Dr. Cho carried Peter away. Tony had moved to follow them down the hall but Pepper reached out and held him back.

            “Let them work, Tony. He’s in good hands.”

            Steve looked to his friend and saw the pain and sorrow there. He glanced away, unable to look anymore. He turned to Darcy, Wanda and Flash. “Do you guys have word of Deadpool?”

            “Last we heard he was fighting the copycat Spider-Man. Apparently when Peter broke out the copycat reappeared to cause trouble.” Flash answered. “I let him know that you had found Peter.”

            “Thank you.” He turned to the others. “Do we know anything else yet?”

            Clint nodded. “Yeah, Daredevil, Cage, and Iron Fist managed to hold off the superhumans in the chase but weren’t able to take any prisoners. When they captured one, he committed suicide. They are reporting to Coulson right now.”

            “Do we know where Peter escaped from?”

            “We have been tracking his movements,” Wanda answered, “the best we know is that he was being held someplace in upper Manhattan.”

            Steve sighed and went to sit down at the table where Tony had moved to. The man had been so quiet through the entire ordeal. He could only imagine how Tony was dealing with it. From the tumbler of whisky, he guessed not very well.

            “It’s going to be okay, Tony.”

            The scientist was silent for a long moment, twirling the ice in his glass before replying. “Is it? He’s just a boy…”

            “He was never just a boy, Tony,” Steve said, realizing the truth for himself as well. “He never had the chance to be just a boy.”

            “I just wish…Why didn’t I see it sooner?”

            “We didn’t want to see. None of us. Not just you, Tony. I didn’t want to believe it. He’s Spider-Man. We have to accept that.”

            “Like hell we do.”

            Steve frowned. “What do you mean?”

            “I’m not letting him go back out there and play hero. He’s too young…Don’t give me that look.”

            Steve couldn’t help it. “I just don’t see that going over well with Peter.”

            “I’m his guardian.”

            “And he’s an adult now.”

            Tony swore beneath his breath. “Spider-Man has been at this for three years now. He was just fifteen when he began.”

            Steve reached out and placed his hand over Tony’s where it was laying on the table. “I know…Just wait and see how he is doing when he wakes before laying into him, Tony.”

            “We have no idea what happened to him over the last few days. A few days is more than enough time to destroy a person’s spirit.”

            “That’s why he has us, Tony. We can help him. Now the healing can begin.”

            Tony looked up, his dark eyes glassy, and Steve knew the man was about to fall apart. He stood, pulling his friend with him and pulled him into a hard hug. His shoulders shook as he cried silently into Steve’s shoulder. Steve would be lying if tears didn’t trail down his face. He felt a smaller warm body press up behind him. From the small sniffle, he knew it was Darcy who had joined them. Steve let his head fall back and released a heavy breath with a prayer. He hadn’t prayed for a very long time but maybe someone would hear his plea to not only save Peter’s body but his soul.

            Steve jolted when the door slammed open and Deadpool strolled in with a limp figure dressed as Spider-Man in tow. Steve pulled away, blocking Tony and Darcy from the merc while they collected themselves.

            “Is that who I think that is?”

            “You bet your patriotic pants it is, Cap. It’s the shit head who thinks he can go around parading as other superheroes.” Deadpool made the man kneel and ripped off the mask. Steve frowned as he took in the man. His face was bruised but he could tell that the copycat was in his mid-thirties with blond hair and blue eyes. Very different from Peter except for in body build.

            “Start talking. Who are you and why did you pose as Spider-Man?”

            The man scoffed pass bloodied teeth. “Oh Captain, my Captain, you think I’ll answer you so easily.”

            “Don’t make this harder on yourself.” Steve tried to reason but he could tell that just basic reasoning wouldn’t do him any good. Fortunately, Tony stepped in then with a tablet in hand.

            “Haywood Smith…Huh, nice name. Oh, what a beautiful family you have.” Tony walked around front, flipping the tablet so the man could see. Steve saw the way his eyes widened and then how he masked his features. Tony went on, “I’d hate to see them loose everything because their daddy decided to fuck with me.”

            The man seemed to hesitate, loose his arrogance in that moment. Steve spoke up then. “Look, you admit that you pretended to be Spider-Man and tell us what you know about Sniegoski then we’ll help you out.”

            “They’ll kill my family,” the man finally admitted, showing real emotion.

            “We won’t let that happen.” Tony said. “We already have SHIELD agents on the way to pick up and relocate them. Now talk.”

            Steve saw the man’s chest rise and fall slowly before looking up. “Alright. I’ll tell you everything I know.”

[][][]

            After his little break down, Tony pulled his shit together and went to one of the conference rooms to contact D.A. Harvey McMillen and Director Coulson. As he sat down in front of the laptop Tony was by no means ready to play nice.

            “I demand that Spider-Man to be placed under arrest.”

            Tony inhaled slowly and released his breath. “I don’t think so.”

            “You don’t think so? Where is he, Mr. Stark?”

            “I don’t know.”

            “I have witnesses who say that they saw Captain America pick up Spider-Man.”

            “That’s true.”

            McMillen was silent, his beady eyes squinting at him through the camera. “I see…You have sided with the vigilante. All of you superhuman freaks are the same.”

            “I don’t like people who are all talk and no bite. Now, Harvey, I wonder how the people of New York, the very people who have been blowing up your phone and the police stations with demands that Spider-Man to be rescued, not arrested, would feel knowing you had a hand in Spider-Man’s kidnapping and torture?”

            Tony watched as the man fumbled for a reply. “How dare you say I am involved in this!”

            “I have proof that you are working with Sniegoski. You might want to turn on the news, Harvey. Your entire career is about to fall apart.”

            The man looked absolutely furious. “You tear my career apart and I’ll tear yours by releasing Spider-Man’s private identity to the public.”

            “No, you won’t,” Tony said, leaning forward. “Do want to know why?”

            McMillen glowered at him through the screen. Coulson was blessedly silent, sitting smugly on his side of the screen. “Why?”

            “Because I had a very lengthy conversation just a few moments ago with the current mayor and governor of New York. They were very interested in what I had to say about your involvement in that human trafficking scandal that happened a few months ago. They want to contact officials of the countries that those children were from and are willing to hand you over to them…Now I can send them a text and tell them not to make phone calls and not to pursue the matter or I don’t have to. That’s entirely up to you. Which hell hole would you like to be in? One here in the states or one in the foreign countries that those poor children were from? Up to you.”

            “You can’t do this.”

            “Oh but I have,” Tony smirked, getting great pleasure from watching one of the men who had a hand in hurting his godson squirm under the pressure that he was applying. “I’m giving you a limb here. Take it or not. I don’t care. Tell the world but I won’t keep a scum bag like you safe. I wonder what else search warrants will turn up?”

            The man swallowed hard before nodding. “Fine. I agree.”

            “Admit to your involvement. I want you to explicitly say it.”

            Harvey hesitated, sweat shining on his forehead. “I, Harvey McMillen, had a hand in orchestrating the trafficking of those children at the Moulton estate.”

            “And?”

            “And I also have commissioned several superhumans to commit crimes, including the impersonation of Spider-Man.”

            Tony grinned. “Pleasure doing business.”

            “Take him,” Coulson suddenly said and Tony could hear the sound of a door crashing open and McMillen threw up his hands in fright as SHIELD agents stormed the office with guns drawn. Tony sat back, knowing that there was still more work left to be done.

[][][]

            Dr. Cho and Banner had come out of surgery with grim news. Bruce had called them to the living room to show them Peter’s results. He had JARVIS display the scans, x-rays and blood reports. Tony grimaced at the obvious broken bones and the signs of old injuries.

            “Overall his injuries are standard and should heal fine but it is the residue amounts of Void in his system that concerns me.”

            “But he had been running and fighting,” Steve argued.

            “Yes, but the drug is still in his blood. We ran the tests. The only theory me and Dr. Cho could come with is that Peter’s natural autonomy over powered the effects of the drug. Like a, um, boost of adrenalin. Like a superpowered boost of adrenalin.”

            “And now that the adrenalin has drained, the drug is…?”

            “Prohibiting his healing…and honestly we don’t know what else. It’s such a new and dangerous drugs that has a wide arrange of effects that time will only tell.”

            “How long will it take to work out of his system?” Tony asked.

            “A few days, maybe more. It all depends on Peter’s powers and will. Now we just wait.”

            So they waited. Tony was the first to go the room in the medical wing where Peter was resting. The lights were dimmed, blinds on the window half open and the TV playing softly in the background beneath the sound of the machines that were keeping his godson alive. He barely recognized the boy on the bed. His face was bruised beyond recognition, his torso bound and wrapped. Tony stepped closer, lifting the edge of the blanket to see deep, dark bruises and cuts around his ankles. Tony let the blanket drop to look at his wrists and saw the same kind of wounds. He had to bite the inside of cheek when he saw the same wounds again around the boy’s neck. Tony took in a deep breath to calm his nerves as he gingerly took Peter’s hand in his. He couldn’t help but notice that it felt cold.

            “Peter…I’m sorry. I’m so sorry I didn’t see it before now. I…I don’t know what to say. You don’t deserve this. How? How did this happen?” Tony squeezed his eyes shut as the tears began to fall. “Just wake up. Please, just wake up for me. There’s a room full of people who love you so much…Who are so scared. So please, just fight like I know you can.”

            After some time of just watching him sleep, Tony left the room. He returned to the main room where his friends and family were gathered talking amongst themselves. When he had their attention he said, “Everyone here… you are family. There’s no denying that. Not today. Not after everything we have been through for the past few days. Not after how we all came together to save a member of this…incredibly dysfunctional family. Peter came to be under my care as my godson but now I realize he has become something to all of us…a friend, a brother…a son.” Tony looked down, clearing his throat. “If you like, you are more than welcomed to go back and see him, talk to him. It might help.”

            He turned on his heel and went down to his lab before anyone could stop him. Of course Pepper came to check on him and then later Steve and Bruce. That night he headed back to Peter’s room but paused outside the door when he realized that someone was in the room. He shifted and saw Deadpool sitting on the chair beside Peter’s bed. Tony understood that he hadn’t given their relationship much thought. He didn’t want to give it much thought. He didn’t know how to feel about Peter being with such a dangerous individual. A part of him wanted to chase the merc out of the tower and tell him to never come around them again, but at the same time he couldn’t bring himself to do that.

            Tony watched as the merc gently looped the necklace around Peter’s neck, laying the bullet gently on his chest. Then the merc removed his mask, revealing his scarred face. For a long time the man sat there just looking at Peter, still as a statue. Tony had never heard the man so quiet. He was use to the brass and loud mercenary. This man? This was a different story.

            “Don’t go,” Wade suddenly said. “Please, don’t go where I can’t follow.”

            It took Tony a moment to realize what the man was talking about. Death. He was talking about dying. Tony took that moment to step into the room. The two men looked at each other for a long moment and when Tony leaned against the wall the tension eased. After some time Deadpool stood and turned to Tony, his face fully exposed.

            “Why haven’t you run me out yet?”

            “Because if you are Peter’s boyfriend, then there must be something about you. Once he wakes, I want you gone though. I still stand by that.”

            Surprisingly, Wade didn’t argue or put up any kind of fight as he left. Deadpool disappeared for a bit after that. The next time he showed, the Avengers had another surprising guest walk through the door. Steve dragged Tony and Bruce out of the labs to eat dinner with him and the others. Conversation stopped as the entrance slid open and May Parker walked right through the door. All Tony could think was _Oh, shit._ Steve recovered first and stood, going to the woman.

            “Mrs. Parker…”

            “Where is he?”

            Steve visibly blanched and Tony quickly went to his side. “Mrs. Parker, Peter is…There is something that we need to…”

            “There is nothing that you can tell me that I do not already know. Somethings I have known for a very long time. Now. Take me to see my boy, Captain.”

            Steve straightened at the use of his title. “Yes, ma’am.”

            “Wait. You know?” Tony asked.

            The woman met his eyes, her own were fierce as they sparked in the light. “Of course I know that Peter is Spider-Man. Why do you think I sent him to you, Mr. Stark?”

            Before he could answer she motioned for Steve to lead the way. Tony followed, contemplating the question. How long could she have known and not told a soul? He was completely baffled. They followed her into the room where Peter laid silently on the bed. Steve stood next to him as the older woman went to the bed, her hand slipping into Peter’s lax one on the bed. As gently as he could Tony told her what happened and the injuries that her nephew had sustained. When he finished, him and Steve stepped back out into the hallway to let her have a moment alone. Tony wasn’t sure how long they waited before the door opened and the woman’s eyes were redder than they had been before.

            “He will not know that I was here.”

            Tony’s brows shot up. “What?”

            “You heard me. Peter…he doesn’t need to know that I know. Not yet. I know him. It’ll just put more stress on him and that is the last thing that he needs right now.”

            “I understand. What will you do now?”

            “Go home. Rest, and I’ll return to Chicago once I know he will be okay.”

            Tony could tell walking away from the room was the hardest thing that woman had ever done in her life. He could only imagine.

            “Right here is the best place for him, Tony. I trust you to care for him.”

            “How? When I’ve already failed…”

            Tony came to a stop beside the woman but Steve kept walking, giving them some privacy. Once he was gone, she answered him. “You have not failed, Tony. You are exactly what Peter needs. Especially now.”

            “I couldn’t even see that he was Spider-Man.”

            “And now that you do? How will you proceed? Like I said, I am leaving Peter in your care because as much as it is hard for me to admit, I cannot help Peter now. Not with this. You can. You and everyone on your team of heroes.”

            She pulled him into a hug and Tony gladly received it. The last few days had left his entire world a little shaky and hazy. He could tell there were going to be long days to come.

[][][]

            Peter didn’t know what to do or say. Only a few moments had passed since he had groggily opened his eyes for the first time in he doesn’t know how long. It had been awhile if the dryness in his mouth and weakened state was anything to gauge by. At first he had panicked, thinking that he was still under Sniegoski, but the room was like any other hospital room. He laid there for a long time just looking out the window. The blinds were opened just a bit to let in the light and he could make out trees and a blue sky. It was like the calm before the storm. He knew it was coming. He just wanted to stretch this moment on forever before he fell apart.

            He stiffened when he heard the sound of footsteps and the door creaked open. Peter relaxed as he saw Flash come in. The other teen seemed to stop in his tracks, his mouth falling open in shock before a goofy grin stretched his features.

            “Peter!” Flash rushed to his side but seem to freeze before trying to hug him. He just settled for sitting on the side of the bed. “Holy shit. When did you wake up?”

            Peter swallowed hard, realizing how hard it was for him to talk. He managed a hoarse, “half an hour? I don’t know.”

            “I need to tell the others…” Flash said suddenly, moving to stand but Peter stopped him as he felt his own panic.

            “Wait. Don’t go…How long? How long have I been out?”

            Flash frowned, seeming confused by the question. “I…I really should go get one of the adults, Peter.”

            “How many days have I been a sleep?”

            “About four days?”

            Peter nodded, letting his hand drop before closing his own eyes. He heard Flash leave the room and waited for whoever walked through the door next. If he had been more alert, Peter would have felt more surprised when he saw Bruce come in. The doctor smiled at him as he approached Peter’s bed.

            “How are you feeling?”

            Peter opened his mouth and then shut it again because he wasn’t sure how to answer the question. How did he feel? He wasn’t sure. When he was quiet for too long, Bruce tried again with a slight frown replacing the gentle smile. “How are your pain levels?”

            “My side hurts,” Peter admitted slowly. “I don’t know. Everything just kind of aches.”

            “Since it seems that your healing factor has been kicking back in, I’ve reduced the amount of pain medication you are on. Do you think you need it to be increased?”

            “N-no. I don’t like how it makes me feel.”

            Bruce nodded, walking over to the machines and did whatever doctors did. After a moment of just watching the older man, Peter asked, “So you know?”

            “Know?” Bruce repeated aloud without looking at him. Then his face lit up in understanding. “Oh. Yes, I know.”

            “Who else?” Peter found himself asking, expecting the worse.

            “Well, the Avengers in general know,” Bruce answered carefully before turning to Peter. He reached for him and to both of their surprise, Peter flinched violently away from the hand. Once Peter realized what happened, his eyes flew to Bruce’s. The older man’s expression softened into something sad.

            “I’m just going to check your chest wound. May I?”

            “Y-yeah.” Peter noticed the way the heart monitor spiked as Bruce reached again and pulled down the blanket and eased his hospital gown down his arms. Peter looked down and grimaced at the sight. “Y-you said my healing factor kicked back in?”

            Bruce hummed in response. “When we found you, it wasn’t working. Your powers have come and gone over the last few days. You had a punctured lung but its nearly heal by my estimate. Which is quite impressive.”

            Peter frowned, trying to remember but the last thing he could recall was…something he didn’t want to think about. “Why would it do that?”

            “Your system was completely flooded in Void. By my best estimate is that when you saw the opportunity to break free the adrenalin and your natural autonomy managed to overpower the drug for a short time.”

            Peter stayed silent while Bruce worked, checking him over and telling him what he was doing before he did it. When he finished, Bruce helped him get comfortable again. “Everything looks good. It’ll still be a healing process. Hopefully you’ll be fully healed within a week.”

            “Yeah.”

            Bruce seemed to hesitate then asked, “would you like to see Tony?”

            He felt his stomach drop at the idea of talking to Tony. He almost said no but he knew that he would have to talk to Tony at some point. “Y-yeah.”

            Bruce stepped out of the room and a moment later Tony came in. Peter looked down, unable to look at his godfather like…he felt ashamed. Guilty. The bed dipped as the older man sat down and a warm hand wrapped around Peter’s. He hadn’t realized how cold his fingers were until then.

            “Peter…”

            “I’m sorry.”

            “Why are you sorry? Peter? Look at me.”

            Peter had to resist the urge to jerk away when Tony touched his face. He swallowed hard as Tony tipped his head back. The man looked like he had aged ten years, eyes strained and tightlipped.

            “Why are you apologizing?”

            “I…I shouldn’t have lied to you.”

            Tony shook his head. “That’s…that’s a thing of the past. I’m not angry. I’m not mad at you. You didn’t do anything wrong. Do you understand?”

            Peter nodded jerkily, tears slipping down his face. He didn’t think he could have stopped them if he tried. Something loosened in his chest as Tony pulled him to his chest, mindful of his injuries and just held him. Gentle fingers brushed through his hair, irritating his sensitive scalp. He cried harder as he remembered why. As he remembered why places hurt on his body. He just fell apart unable to hold it in.

            “Let it out, kid,” Tony said softly, rocking him. “You are safe. I’m here.”

 

            He needed a sense of normalcy. Later that night, he managed to convince Bruce and Dr. Cho to let him out of bed. Tony brought him some of his lounge clothes and helped him into the sweats and shirt. His legs felt weak but he was determined to get moving. Moving felt safe. Familiar. When he managed to finally shuffle into the main living room, he found the Avengers waiting for him. Lucky came running up to him, pushing against his shins and licking his fingers. Peter ran his hands through the dog’s soft fur and felt some of the anxiety leave his chest as he looked back up.

            Darcy was edging closer as if she was unsure about whether or not to approach him. Peter managed a small smile and opened his arms. Her face lit up like the sun as she hurried over and hugged him gingerly. She kissed his cheek and finger combed his hair. Flash didn’t hesitate the way she had and embraced him a little more roughly. The other teen cupped his face as he pulled back. “Fucking Puny Parker. Don’t scare me like that again.”

            The use of his old name surprisingly brought a smile to his face. “Don’t plan on it, Eugene.” 

            Nobody else moved to approach him but Steve had moved closer to place a warm hand on the shoulder. “I’m glad to see you up, Peter.”

            Peter nodded, looking around. He didn’t see Wade. He wanted to see his boyfriend but he wasn’t even sure if the others knew. He looked to Flash but it was Wanda who answered. “Wade is doing okay, Peter. He knows you are doing okay…and they all know your relationship with him.”

            His eyes widened as he turned to Tony. His godfather’s face was pinched in annoyance. “I asked…Deadpool to stay away while you heal.”

            He frowned, unsure how to feel about that. “While I heal? What’s that supposed to mean?”

            “Peter, you just woke up. You were in a coma for four days. Let’s talk about it after you’ve had some rest.”

            Peter narrowed his eyes, despite the ache it caused. “No. I’m not allowed to see him, am I?”

            Tony looked already done with the conversation. “Peter…Let’s not do this now, okay?”

            Wanda touched his hand. “ _Not now, Peter._ ” He started as she spoke to him in his head but he recovered and nodded. “Okay. Fine.” Peter suddenly felt tired all over again. He wanted to talk to Wade but he wasn’t going to push to find out what had happened when he hadn’t been around. “I think I’ll take a nap.”

            “Do you want to try to eat something?” Steve asked. “We have soup.”

            The idea of having something hot on his stomach was too good to resist. So he let Steve feed him. When he took the first bite, he felt like he was starving despite the meal he had earlier when he first woke up. He went through two bowls before stopping at Bruce’s suggestion. Everyone had been relatively quiet and it put him on edge. Quiet in a room full of people meant something bad. He started feeling anxious and that is probably why he agreed when Bruce told him that he could have more later if he still felt hungry. Silently he stood from where he had sat down and headed to his room without another word. When he walked into the space he released the breath he had been holding and left the door wide open. The idea of closing the door filled him with an uneasy feeling he couldn’t explain.

            He didn’t know what to do so he laid down feeling tired despite having slept for nearly a week. Peter contributed it to his injuries and lingering drugs in his system. He didn’t think he would fall asleep but he somehow slipped into slumber without even realizing it. When he woke next, he laid there for a while just staring out the window. The building was quiet for the most part. If he focused he could hear someone moving around in the kitchen, or the sound of a piano playing from Wanda’s room. Every so often he could hear Steve clear is throat from where he was in the lounge. Peter didn’t know why he wanted to know where everyone was in the tower. He had to squash down the desire to ask JARVIS.

            Peter stood and slipped into the bathroom to relieve himself. Three days. He was in Sniegoski’s captivity for three days and yet it was just long enough to make things that once had felt familiar to feel strange and new. Was it possible to be a stranger to yourself? He didn’t know but that’s how he felt. Taking a deep breath, he looked up into the mirror. His face was unrecognizable. There were cuts and scrapes on top of discolored flash. It looked painful as it felt. He left the bathroom, unable to look at himself any longer. He turned on the TV to see if he could catch up on things that he missed without talking to anyone. Peter listened attentively to the newscaster.  

            _“Today, three more arrests have been made linking to D.A. McMillen. One of those arrested at his home was Dr. Christopher Lahr. Dr. Lahr worked for Oscorp under their medical sciences department. Allegedly, he is the man behind developing the dangerous drug, Void, that has plagued our streets…”_

            A light tap startled Peter, his head swinging around to see Wanda in his door way. She gave a small smile. “Hey, Peter.”

            “Hey.”

            “Watching the news?”

            “Y-yeah…Trying to fill in the gaps.”

            She stepped into the room. “D.A. McMillen was arrested within twelve hours of getting you back.”

            This was news to him. “How? For what?”

            “Wade caught the copycat and brought him here. He admitted to everything. So the charges were dropped against you and the police have been on raiding campaigns for days now.”

            “Sniegoski?”

            “I’m sorry, Peter.”

            He nodded. Of course he wouldn’t be so lucky. “Can I borrow your phone? I’d like to talk to Wade.”

            Her expression softened as she reached into her pocket and handed him her cell. He was nervous for some reason but he wanted to hear Wade much more than he could be deterred. The phone rang but after a moment it went to voicemail. He frowned as he tried again and got the same result. Sighing, he handed the phone back to Wanda. “He’s not picking up.”

            “We’ll try again later. I’ll send him a text for you.”

            “Thank you.”

            “Anytime.” She turned to walk out of the room but then paused, looking back at him. “If you need someone to talk to, I’m here, Peter.”

            Wanda left before he could reply. He swallowed hard against the lump in his throat because the last thing he wanted was to talk. Peter looked around the room, taking in his few possessions but he just felt numb. Confused. The pain didn’t bother him. He knew it would be the memories and the cracks in his soul that would take the most time to heal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again for all the love and support. It gives me so much inspiration to keep writing. Even when I was swamped with class work and dealing with my own personal anxiety. 
> 
> Keep in mind my stories always have happy endings!!! 
> 
> Next update: December 28!
> 
> I recommend this amazing song (I'm too tired to do the link thingy):  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlppyBJhLnc&index=32&list=PLpdt9pF6dv1gfWOko6boMXKY2vYlttszp
> 
> EDIT: I'm so sorry I haven't been able to come and correct the update. I went out of town suddenly and didn't have time to make corrections. I do not know when I'll have the next chapter up because I am still working on it but I hope to have it up later this week. 
> 
> Also note you can check my tumblr for more current updates on the progress of the story and such. 
> 
> Thank to everyone for being patient and expressing concern.


	17. The Damages of Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please be sure to check out the endnotes for this story updates and explanations. 
> 
> Please excuse any errors. I'll have to check again later. 
> 
> Thank you. Enjoy!

How does one go back to normal once they have experienced hell? What is normal? What is normal for Peter Parker? Normal would be laughing at something someone said. Normal would be putting on the suit every night and jumping from the highest of buildings. Normal was in the small things. In the things that defined who he was and who he was meant to be. In things like helping Tony in the labs, listening to Bruce talk about his latest works, or going for runs with Steve, Bucky and Sam. Normal was not the way his hands trembled. Normal was not how he jumped at the sound of loud noise in real fright. Normal was not what he was living right now.

            So how does one go back? How can he reverse the damages of time and find the person he once was? A few days had passed since he woke in the medic bay and yet he still didn’t know what to do with himself. He felt far too raw, as if he was still in survival mode. Everyone was keeping their distance after he had snapped at Tony after the older man had mentioned talking to a doctor about what happened to him. He shut the older man down fast and unforgivingly. Peter had a panic attack promptly after that from the conflict, from the mere idea of talking about what happened to him. He asked for space and that’s what they were giving him. Just a handful of days have passed and yet he still felt trapped. As if any second he would wake up and find himself back where he was.

            Peter was not stupid. He carried a secret. Three days. He had been told that it had only been three days. That news had been like pulling a rug out from under him. Peter’s reality differed so much from what he had been told. He almost couldn’t wrap his head around it. He was still processing it. As the minutes ticked by, he wasn’t sure how he would tell the others or if he even would. The thing was that his reality had been much longer than just three days. This was easier, he had realized. Not telling the others the truth. It was hard, but a gut instinct told him that his odd misfit group of friends and family would be devastated by the truth. If they treated him like glass because they believed that he had been imprisoned for just three days, what would they think if it had been longer? He tried going back to normal though, unwilling to tell anyone the truth about what had happened. Anxiety bubbled right below the surface, silencing him. He remained scarce, only emerging from his room to keep the others from worrying.

            “Stark, you are absolutely not allowed to just hire someone to do the decorations,” Darcy nagged from where she was detangling lights she had just pulled out of the box.

            “Christmas is a week away,” Tony replied patiently.

            “Exactly! We need to decorate the tower ourselves or it just won’t be the same.”

            “I agree, Stark,” Sam said as he entered the room, carrying boxes of ornaments. “Don’t forget about Wanda. Her holiday starts Christmas eve this year.”

            “Yes! I’m on it.” Darcy exclaimed excitedly. “Our lovely resident Jew will have everything she needs.”

            Peter watched the whole exchange silently from where he was curled in the arm chair, covered with a soft blanket and a book in his lap. Darcy had dragged him out of his room about half an hour ago, showed him the seat and draped the blanket over him. Peter knew she was trying to keep him involved and preoccupied but that didn’t matter. So many things were bothering him…haunting him. He was trying not to think about how he had yet to hear from Wade. That alone caused mix feelings and even more nerves to coil in his stomach, making him uneasy. The doubts nagged at him when he let them and it made him feel like he was walking on shaky ground that was ready to collapse right from under him. 

            Peter tensed when he realized the others had fallen silent and caught them looking at him worriedly. He blinked and glanced back down at his book quickly, understanding that he had spaced out. Something he had been doing quite a bit. Tony relented after a moment. “Fine. Do what you want. Here’s my card. Go all out.”

            Darcy squealed. “You won’t regret this!”

            His godfather scoffed, “I already do.” Tony walked over to Peter and brushed a gentle hand through his hair. Peter went with the movement, ignoring the way his stomach twisted. Certain things made him more uneasy than others but he had to hide the reactions or else the others would catch on. Besides, while he tensed at initial contact, the calming strokes helped soothe his frayed nerves. As long as no one grabbed his hair, he settled pretty quickly.

            After Tony left the room, Darcy said, “Steve and Wanda should be back soon with the left over decorations from the facility. I thought we could use what we can of that stuff and then go out and buy whatever else we need.”

            “That sounds good,” Sam answered her, casting Peter a glance. He focused on his book, or tried to, but his mind kept wondering. Before he would have been helping his friends hang the decorations with a witty remark on the tip of his tongue and a smile on his face. But now? He just couldn’t motivate himself enough to move. He liked to blame it on the ache that still lingered on his flesh but he knew better. Eventually he did move but that was only to retreat to his room and fall asleep on his bed. Sleepless nights seemed to plague him worse than ever, leaving him tired and lethargic during the day. He dozed for a while before a light knocking stirred him from his sleep. Peter sat up to see Wanda in the door way, arms behind her back. She stepped into the room with a barely there smile on her lips.

            “Hey, I picked something up for you from the facility.” She pulled out the Deadpool plushy that Wade had given him what felt like forever but was just a little more than a week. Peter took it silently, staring at it and wishing he had the real thing.

            “Where is he?” he asked aloud.

            “I don’t know. I’m sorry, Peter. We’ve tried looking everywhere.”

            “Thanks, Wanda.”

            She nodded. “Steve wants you to eat with us. We brought back enough Chinese for everyone.”

            Peter hesitated before placing the plushy on his bed and followed Wanda to the living room. Darcy and Sam had made a considerable amount of progress. There were several small trees up in the space and the largest one by the fireplace. The mantel was finished with a long line of stockings already pinned up. Flash had joined them, helping Steve set up the buffet of food. Peter had been surprised to hear that Flash had left his home and would be staying with the Avengers until he left for basic training. It had been one of the good news he had gotten since returning. He was glad that his friend was safe.

            That moment Natasha, Clint and Lucky stepped off the elevator. Peter listened to the others talk as they fixed their plates and sat around the space to eat. He fixed his own plate only putting small amounts. When his initial hunger had passed, Peter had found that he rarely wanted to eat. He knew that his metabolism demanded more but all foods had taken on an unpleasant chalky taste that he couldn’t quite swallow. To keep the others from worrying, he ate what he could and pushed the rest around, slipping bits to Lucky when the dog walked over. He half paid attention to the others but he couldn’t help but think about Wade. Where was he? Wanda had said that they had looked everywhere so where had his boyfriend gone?

            Peter sat up straighter when he realized where Wade was. It was a long shot but the others wouldn’t have known to look for him there. Peter put his plate in the sink and was about to escape to his bedroom when Steve called out, “we are going to watch some holiday movies. Would you like to join us?”

            “No, thank you…Actually I think I’m going to go down to labs.”

            Steve went from worried to a more relieved expression. “Oh. That’s good. Tony and Bruce are down there working.”

            Peter nodded and slipped into his room to change into clean jeans and sweatshirt, pulling on his sneakers. When he got on the elevator no one asked any questions. Instead of going to the labs, he went all the way to the bottom to exit the building. His stomach did a nervous flip as he stepped out on the street. Fear coiled in his chest as he took in the cold night around him. Peter never thought he would be scared to step out into the city he loved so much. Yet here he was, staring fearfully into the shadows as if they would consume him whole. It was a stupid idea but he had to get answers from Wade. He didn’t appreciate his boyfriend’s absence. So he took off at a run, putting as much distance between him and the tower.

            He headed into the seedy bar, searching through the smoke that hung in the air and sketchy figures to spot Wade sitting at the bar talking to Weasel. The man behind the counter widened his eyes at Peter’s approach. The man hit Wade over the head with a magazine and pointed in Peter’s direction. Peter felt his heart skip as Wade turned on the stool and his eyes focused in on Peter.

            “Days,” Peter said when he was in hearing range. “I’ve been awake for days and yet you haven’t called or come to visit.”

            “Peter…”

            “What can you say, Wade? I tried calling you. A phone call would have been fine,” Peter growled as he came to a stop in front of the older man. He honestly didn’t know where it came from. Peter hadn’t known what he was going to say if he did find Wade. Now that he was here, Peter was a boiling pot of mixed emotions.

            “There’s nothing I can say.”

            Peter wanted to blow up, get angry, and take it out on someone but he didn’t want that target to be Wade. “I don’t know why, but perhaps you have a reason. I know you care about me and I care about you… More than I have for anyone. I’m dealing with a lot right now but I know I still want this with you, Wade. So… you know where to find me when you get your head out of your ass.”

            He turned on his heels, and stormed out of the now silent bar. Honestly, Peter hadn’t expected to get mad and it was hard to reign in. There was so much more he wanted to say. _I need you,_ remained unsaid. He made himself think about how much he cared for Wade and forced himself to understand that Wade might have trouble reaching out to him right now. At least, he found him and knew that Wade was okay.

            Shaking his head, he returned to the tower. Once he was on the elevator, he released a sigh of relief. Going out since what happened had been more nerve wracking than he had expected. When he stepped off the elevator, he saw that the movie was still playing but no one was watching it. Instead they all looked worried and Tony pounced on him the second he stepped into the room.

            “Where the hell have you been?”

            Peter blinked in surprise. “I went for a walk…”

            “You didn’t think to tell anybody? Peter, you woke up from a coma just a few days ago. Did you forget what happened to ¾”

            “No!” Peter yelled at his godfather, feeling the anger rush to his head. “No, I haven’t forgotten what happened to me. So don’t you dare use that against me.”

            Peter realized that he was shaking. He pushed pass Tony and headed to his room. He couldn’t help it when he slammed the door shut behind him but his anxiety spiked in the next heartbeat at seeing the door actually closed. Peter felt angry that he was getting upset about a door being fucking closed. Maybe it was just a buildup of everything that night. He walked to the furthest wall and sank to the floor, determined not to open it again out of spite regardless of the anxiety it caused. The memories that surged forth, causing him to relive the feelings he had back then. Fear. Overwhelming and crushing desperation. It coursed through him hot and angry, shutting him down so he couldn’t move. Tears came in earnest as he sobbed in the bedroom. He felt like he was going to be sick. Peter watched the door, waiting for it to open. Willing it to open. Hoping it would open even if it meant more torment. It felt like the seconds stretched on into forever but in reality it probably only lasted about half an hour until he calmed and the tears stopped. His head fell back against the wall, feeling shaken. Peter swallowed hard, hating the person he had become.

[][][]

            Peter didn’t speak to anyone the next day. He didn’t bother to emerge for food. He didn’t answer when Steve knocked, calling out to him that they had to attend an emergency meeting and that they would be back later. He spent most of his waking moments thinking about how his reactions to certain things caused his stomach to hurt and his chest tighten painfully. The more he thought about it, the more his curiosity became insatiable. He wondered extensively what would happen if he put on the suit. What would happen if he headed into the city to fight crime like he once did? The question burned at him until he found himself standing and going to his closet where he kept his spare suit.

            He pulled it out and stared at the red and blue spandex. Peter remembered his first outing in the costume. He remembered the rush, the way he rested easy knowing he had saved a life that night. That memory motivated him enough to pull on the suit and his clothes over it before heading out. It was later in the day so the place was empty as he headed to Tony’s loading dock. He stripped his clothes there and pulled on the mask with trembling fingers. Peter stepped up to the ledge and breathed in the night air, taking in the city around him. His stomach flipped with more than just nervousness. One thing that Sniegoski hadn’t ruined for him was this. The man had expressed concern over ensuring that Peter had no counter responses to putting on the suit or using his abilities. Still, it soured Peter’s self-image as a superhero, considering what the man had planned for him and his unique skill set.

            Deciding not to let it stop him, Peter leapt off the edge. The rush came to him like an old friend and the reflexes picked back up without a hitch. He swung low and tight though, not wanting to make too big of an appearance. Peter pushed himself, running harder and jumping further. He managed to stop several muggings and robberies without any issues. It felt good doing the work he loved. It reminded him why he put on the suit. It was going well. That is until it went south.

            He stopped on a roof top, seemingly harmless and his spidey-senses were quiet. He spotted a suspicious man who looked like they were trying to steal a car. He dropped down behind the man. The thief turned, gun raised with a wild look in his eyes. Peter had been fighting all night and doing well considering, but one second he was fine and the next he felt panic when the thief fired off a shot despite it completely missing him. The loud sharp noise jolted Peter’s senses more than anything. He was brought back to those days of helplessness. Where he couldn’t fight for himself and was at the mercy of whatever was coming at him next. Peter didn’t even realize he was running until he was almost back to the tower. Somewhere in between he had broken out into a cold sweat, soaking his suit and hair. He was panting by the time he reached the tower, his chest tightening painfully. Peter ripped off his mask once he was on the elevator. He got scared off by a gun shot. While that was a normal response for average people, that just wouldn’t do as Spider-Man.

            Peter stepped off the elevator, wanting to just go to his room to make sense of the night but was surprised to see Coulson talking to the Avengers gathered in the living room. Wanda had told him that Fury and Coulson knew his identity so he didn’t panic about being in his suit in front of the director. Tony’s eyes narrowed at his appearance but fortunately didn’t say anything as Coulson approached him. Peter pushed aside the lingering terror as he shook the man’s hand.

            “Pleasure to meet the man behind the mask. Stopping crime?”

            “Well, you know. The usual. The typical mugger, bank robber…car thief. At least I didn’t get anything thrown at me by an old lady.”

            A muscle Coulson’s jaw twitched as he suppressed a smile. “I’m glad to hear that.”

            He began backing away. “Right. Well, I see you guys are all having a nice chat so I’ll just go to my room.”

            “Actually, Peter, I’m here to speak to you.”

            His heart skipped. “About?”

            “I need you to tell me everything thing you know about Sniegoski.” 

            “I don’t know anything,” Peter answered automatically, straightening his spine.

            Silence hung in the air as he stared at the director, silently daring the man to challenge him. Coulson did as he suspected. “How about we move to a more private location?”

            “How about no?”

            Tony growled, “Peter, stop this. This is important.”

            “You think I don’t know that?” Peter snapped, not liking this one bit.

            Natasha stepped in this time. “Peter, SHIELD wants answers and right now you have them. The sooner you give Coulson what he wants the sooner you’ll be left alone about it.”

            Peter considered it for a moment, weighing his options. His heart starting to race at the idea of telling them the truth. He clung to the anger he felt in his chest and turned to Coulson. “You gave this job to me and Deadpool and it’s going to stay between me and Deadpool. May I remind you, Director, you abandoned the case of Sniegoski with me because it was too unimportant for you to be bothered by it.”

            Coulson gave him a long look. “I see. Well, then. I apologize. Spider-Man, you don’t have to do this alone any longer.”

            “Save your apologies for someone who will buy into them, Director. And I am not alone. I have Deadpool. If you want to be involved, you can start with your own intelligence gathering for a bit. Until then leave us alone. I’m not playing your games.”

            There was tense pause. “Very well. If you change your mind, you know how to contact me. Best of luck to you, Mr. Parker.”

            Peter watched the man leave, tense from the conversation and the fighting. He turned to his godfather, feeling as though things were still not resolved between them.

            “Peter, what was that?” Clint actually asked first.

            “What it sounded like.”

            “You have to know something that would help SHIELD,” Bruce voiced.

            Peter met the gazes of the men and women around him. He felt exposed in his suit and with the subject. He considered it now, realizing that Sniegoski was more than any of them could handle alone. “Damn it.” He tugged on his mask and took off at a run after the director. He went out the window and swung down so he would catch the man in the lobby. Fortunately, due to the late hour it was mostly empty. He cut off Coulson.

            “You are right. But it’s not something that SHIELD can handle alone either.”

            Coulson frowned. “Go on.”

            Peter took a deep breath, glancing around through the eyes of his mask. “How about we talk across the street.”

            Coulson nodded and they headed outside and across the busy street, quickly ducking into an ally before drawing too much attention to themselves. “What is it, Spider-Man?”

            “Sniegoski can manipulate people’s minds.”

            The director was silent for a moment, the wheels obviously turning in his head. “What did he do to you?”

            Peter took in a shaky breath. “That doesn’t matter.”

            “Peter¾”

            “I don’t want to talk about it.”

            “Okay. What do you mean by the manipulation?”

            “He…can make you feel things, experience things. Make you see and hear things. Even make you do things…but there are limits. The more complex, the more it draws on him. So for the scientists working for him, he’d drop suggestions to get them to do things without question and without exhausting himself too much. When I broke out, he was taking a ‘breather’ as he called it.”

            “I see…Thank you for telling me. I understand why you didn’t want to talk to me. I haven’t treated you well in the past but as a minor, I couldn’t have you working for me legally. The registration business made it even more complicated. I cut you out to protect you, Peter. I hope you know that.”

            Peter blinked at that. “Well, now I do.”

            When he shook Coulson’s hand, it felt closer to his old self, like a wrong had been mended between them.

            As they parted, Coulson paused and said, “may I offer you some advice?”

            “I have a feeling you are going to give it to me no matter what I say.”

            “Talk to someone. Even I can tell how you have changed.”

            Peter watched the man leave before heading back into the tower. He took off his mask as he returned to the living room. He strode right passed them to the kitchen to get a glass of water, his nerves slightly shaken after everything.

            “Well?” Clint asked from his position next to the coffee pot.

            “Well what?”

            Tony asked, “what did you tell him?”

            Peter shook his head. “That’s between me and Coulson.”

            “Fine,” Tony said, “Let’s talk about why you are wearing the suit.”

            Peter turned to his godfather, gaping. “What about it?”

            “You are not putting the suit back on.”

            Peter felt his stomach drop. “You don’t get to decide that.”

            “Your aunt left me in charge of you. To watch over you. Protect you. Provide for you. I don’t care about your age. You are still a kid and you do not belong out there playing hero.”

            “I’m not playing ‘hero’. I never said I was a hero. And protect me, Tony? It’s a little late to be trying to protect me, huh?”

“Enough, Peter,” Steve said, cutting him off, as Tony’s face fell.

“No, I’m just getting started,” he snapped at the super soldier who seemed surprised by the outburst.

Tony crossed his arms over his chest. “I get it. You’ve been through a lot but stop being childish.”

“That the pot calling the kettle black.”

“Excuse me?”

“I became Spider-Man before you guys even joined as the Avengers. I’ve been looking out for this city, my home, long before the alien and Ultron debacles. I did this. I created a name for myself before you came along, Tony. _I worked for this_. I’ve fought, and I bled, and I lost. I’ve lost so much. So you don’t get to fucking stand there and tell me I can’t be Spider-Man.”

He was so incredibly done with the man. He didn’t want to deal with it all. Quite honestly he wasn’t even sure he wanted to put the suit back on but that was his choice, not Tony’s. The idea had his stomach twisting and churning with unease where it once filled him with excitement. He stalked out of the room, not wanting to talk any more. He didn’t go to his bedroom. Instead he went up to Tony’s launching dock. He scaled the side of the building until he was on top and sat down on the ledge, staring out over the city. Cold wind gusted by but it didn’t bother him. Being so high gave him a sense of calm. He could hear the occasional siren. It all served as a distraction of what has become his life.

[][][]

             Peter put the costume away, unable to understand the sickening knot in his stomach. He stayed curled in bed for the next day, tuning out the world around him but he didn’t miss the sound of boots coming down the hall and the door closing quietly. When the bed dipped only then did Peter turn over, his eyes going wide when he saw it was Wade. He couldn’t stop himself from launching at the older man, wrapping him in a hug and breathing in his scent. The man hugged him back tightly.

            “How are you doing, baby boy?”

            Peter relaxed immediately. “Not good.”

            “I figured. I’m sorry…I have no excuse for not being here when you woke.”

            “Don’t leave me, Wade.”

            “I won’t. I promise I won’t.”

            He pulled the other down onto the bed, taking in his appearance. “You aren’t in your suit.”

            “No. I thought it was a better idea to come into Avenger territory, unarmed and seemingly non-dangerous.”

            “But Hello Kitty pajama pants?”

            “What is less threatening than Hello Kitty?”

            Peter felt himself smile in humor for the first time in days. “I guess not much. You know that the Avengers aren’t going to be fooled by that.”

            “Shhhh. Let me live the dream.”

            He pulled Wade closer, wrapping his legs and arms around the other man. “I missed you.”

            “I missed you too…”

            They laid in silence for a while, breathing each other in and listening to the other’s heartbeat. Solid and real. Peter ached, both mind and body. He never wanted to let go of Wade. At the same time, Peter didn’t know how to talk to him. What happened…It was at the forefront of his mind no matter how hard he tried to push it back. He didn’t know how to voice the feelings he was having. He didn’t know how to articulate what happened to him those few short days. He didn’t know if he ever wanted to.

            “You are thinking too hard,” Wade said softly in the darkness of his bed room.

            “I can’t help it.” Peter admitted, “I can’t stop thinking.”

            “What are you thinking about?”

            “What happened to me.”

            Wade hummed in thought. “I…We were so scared.”

            “I know.”

            “The video…He streamed a video of you to all of New York…and then a personal video to Stark. I didn’t see it until after.”

            “He has to be stopped, Wade.” Peter pulled back, his mind going back to the things he had seen and heard. “Wade…remember our ‘no killing’ rule?”

            “Of course. I’ve stuck to it. I should get a cookie.”

            “You need to make an exception. Sniegoski…he can’t be kept alive.”

            Wade’s eyes went wide with shock. “Petey…”

            There was a knock and his door suddenly swung open. “Hey, Peter, we are back and ¾” Tony trailed off as he took in the scene before him. Peter could see the confusion and fury click into place on his face.

            “Tony, it’s not what you think.” Peter said as he hurriedly climbed out of bed with Wade behind him.

            “How the hell did you get in here?” Tony snapped, turning on the light and completely ignoring Peter.

            “Well, you see, Mr. Stark,” Wade began in a mocking voice, “it was quite simple. I just came through the door.”

            “Get out!” Tony moved across the room and grabbed Wade by the sleeve of his sweat shirt, dragging him out of the room. Peter followed, knowing that Wade could easily shrug Tony off of him. Peter felt his stomach drop when he saw the others watching the scene unfold.

            “How the fuck did Deadpool get in the tower?” Clint barked.

            “Good to see you too, Princess.” Wade sneered back, jerking his arm away from Tony.

            Peter felt his anxiety spike as he realized how much Wade was shutting down in the presence of others. It was like watching old Wade from back when they only referred to each other by their aliases only. Peter didn’t like it one bit.

            “JARVIS, why did you let him into the tower when I gave instructions to barricade this man completely?”

            The A.I. promptly answered. “You gave me instructions to monitor Mr. Parker’s health and to respond accordingly. That taking the utmost importance. When Mr. Wilson showed, I allowed him into the tower because according to my past records, Mr. Wilson’s presence would help improve Mr. Parker’s overall well-being.”

            Peter gaped at his godfather. “You had JARVIS spy on me?”

            Tony scoffed. “Obviously not well enough. From now on do not let Deadpool into this tower without my permission under any circumstances, JARVIS.”

            “You can’t do that,” Peter snapped.

            “Well, I just did.” Tony pointed at Wade. “Get out of my house.”

            To Peter’s surprise, Wade moved towards the elevator without a word. He grabbed his boyfriend’s hand. “No, wait. Don’t I get a say in this?”

            “No. Peter, this is for your own good.” Tony sighed, like this was some sort of nuisance. “He’s a killer. A mercenary for hire. Not to mention fucking insane. He’ll hurt you, Peter.”

            Peter opened his mouth to argue but scarred fingers brushed his cheek. “Don’t fight with him, Peter. Just let me go.”

            His hand slipped from Wade’s and he watched the man walk to the elevator. Peter couldn’t begin to describe the feelings he had as he watched Wade leave. When the doors closed, Peter asked, “Why? Why did you have to do that?”

            “Peter…” Tony began, frustration obvious. “I don’t even understand why you would even talk to someone like that. I mean look at him? He’s crazy as a loon and the scars are hideous…”

            Peter didn’t know what came over him but one moment he was standing there and the next he driving his fist against his godfather’s jaw. He checked himself at the last second and pulled the punch to avoid any significant damage. A steel arm wrapped around his middle and yanked him back but Peter wasn’t done.

            “What the fuck do you know, Tony?!” Peter snarled as he pushed against Bucky. “He’s changed! If any of you bothered to get your heads out of your asses and gave the man a fucking chance you’d know that! No, because it’s easier to call him a monster and treat him like shit when he’s in the room…Get off me, Bucky!”

            Peter managed to worm his way out of the super-soldier’s hold and rounded on Tony who was rubbing his jaw. “Just think. A week ago, you thought I was a terrorist. Someone who couldn’t be trusted. Remember when you told Spider-Man to keep his distance from all of you after the robot attack? Because I fucking do. Wade saved my life countless times. He was there for me. He makes me laugh. He’s my partner. He’s my friend and above all else, _he’s my boyfriend._ And nothing is going to change that no matter what you say, Tony.”

            He was panting hard when he wrapped up his spiel. Tony looked stunned as if Peter had hit him in the jaw again. “Don’t you dare call Wade hideous in front of me again because he is the most beautiful person I’ve ever met.”

            Peter stalked off toward his room. Tony called after him, “Peter!”

            “Shove it, Stark. I don’t want to listen to another word you have to say about me or my boyfriend.” Peter went into his room and pulled on his tennis shoes and a light coat.

            “Where do you think you are going?” Tony met him in the hall way outside his bed room.

            “Where do you think?” Peter snapped as he pushed pass the man. Tony surprised him by shoving him back against the wall.

            “Hey!” He heard Steve bark out. Next second the man was separating them. “Enough of this. Peter, get out of here. Call when you get to Wade’s.”

            “Like hell he is going to that guy’s place.” Tony argued.

            “You go cool off, Tony.”

            Peter hurried from them, not missing his chance to catch the waiting elevator. He noticed that Darcy and Flash had emerged from their bedrooms, looking confused and baffled by what was happening. As the doors closed, he caught Darcy’s screech as Nat told her what happened. “He hit Tony!?”

            Peter felt his heart racing all the way down. He broke out into a run towards Wade’s apartment, hoping that was where the other man went. He didn’t stop to contemplate that this was the second time he had stepped outside of the tower and what the rise in his pulse meant. Peter didn’t stop until he reached Wade’s apartment, banging on the door. He heard a noise on the other side and then it swung open. Wade balked, seeming surprised to see Peter standing there.

            “Peter, what are you doing here?”

            “I had to see you.” Peter pushed his way into the apartment. The place was a mess, the hole in the wall still there and garbage scattered across the space. He turned his attention to Wade. “I’m sorry for what happened.”

            “You shouldn’t be here. You’ll get in trouble.”

            Peter’s frown deepened. “But, Wade, Tony had no right to do that.”

            “You know something is seriously fucked up when I’m having to be the reasonable one in this relationship.” Wade sighed, placing both hands on Peter’s shoulders. “Listen, Baby boy. I get it. I want nothing more than to be able to cuddle naked with you in bed beneath heaps of ultra-soft blankets and watching cheesy nineties movies but you need to go home…Back to Tony.”

            “What?”

            “Tony is your godfather. And that Tower is your home. You need to go back.”

            “But, Wade…” Peter was stunned. He didn’t expect Wade to react this way. “I had a fight with Tony after you left.”

            “Apologize. Go. You might be an adult now, Petey, but you need the Avengers.”

            “I don’t understand.”

            “You haven’t talked to anyone yet about what happened when Sniegoski had you.”

            Peter blanched. “I don’t need to talk about it.”

            “That’s what you think now, but one day you will need to whether you want to believe that or not.”

            “Wade…”

            “I’m not asking you to open up right now about it to me, but that’s why you need to go back to that tower and apologize to Stark.”

            Peter ran a hand through his hair. “It’s bad, Wade. I really screwed up this time. I hit Tony.”

            “Did you break him?”

            “I don’t think so?”

            “The man can take a hit.”

            Peter knew Wade was right. He needed to go back an apologize for his outburst but he wanted to stay with Wade. The older man must have sensed the change in his mood because Wade wrapped him in a hug and kissed him assuredly on the mouth. Peter tensed at the sudden movement, his heart ticking up a beat in panic at the memory and the tinge of fear he felt. Wade went still as a statue before stepping away, breaking the kiss. It left Peter with a feeling he hadn’t felt in a very long time: alone. He felt so utterly, fucking alone. It was so easy to see that he had changed…and it was eating him away inside.

            “Peter…”

            “Don’t, Wade. I’ll go. I’ll talk to you later.” Peter moved quickly towards the door and was out on the street with Wade on his heels.

            “Wait, baby.”

            “Wait for what? I’m going back to the tower.”

            “Let me walk you.”

            “No, I can take care of myself.”

            “That’s not the point.” Wade argued, matching his pace easily.

They lapsed into silence then. Peter didn’t respond and Wade didn’t press the issue. He could see out the corner of his eye how Wade pulled up the hood on his jacket but made no other move in his direction. Not until they were in the entrance of the tower. Wade reached out, moving slowly, and grabbed Peter’s hands in his, forcing Peter to face him. Peter went with it, his heart soft towards the mercenary, because otherwise he would have just ignored him and gone inside.

“I love you, Peter.”

Peter’s eyes went wide at the admittance. “I-I…”

“Don’t respond yet. Just listen to me. Peter, I know how you are feeling right now. I know all too well. You can’t even put the feelings into words and that is okay. I just want you to know that I love you. I have for a long time now. And you are not alone. As long as I am alive, you will never be alone in this universe.”

Peter heaved a heavy sigh, trying to calm his nerves enough to respond to Wade. “I-I love you too, Wade. I mean it. I’m glad you came into my life.” He leaned up and pecked a kiss to Wade’s mouth. “I should go in. Call me later, okay?”

            “Of course, sweetums.”

            Peter snorted lightly before walking into the tower, wishing Wade could come with him. He could use the emotional support. He thought an admittance of love to each other would be more dramatic but considering their lives, it was perfect. Peter wouldn’t have had it any other way. He felt happy for the first time in days. Pulling out the necklace from beneath his shirt, he looked at the engraving and smiled. He left it out because he wasn’t going to hide his relationship with the merc from the others. Neither of them deserved that. That was how relationships died.

            Peter stepped off the elevator to be confronted by the tower’s residents, including Pepper. He straightened his spine and walked over to where Tony was pointedly not looking at him. When he reached the space in front of him, the older man looked the other way.

            “I’m sorry.” Peter began anyway. “I’m sorry for hitting you. I shouldn’t have. I know better.”

            There was a beat of silence and then Tony replied, “he’s still not allowed around you.”

            “What?”

            “As long as you live under my roof, you will stay away from him.”

            Peter took a step back. “You… Know what? It doesn’t change anything, Tony. I can’t believe you.”

            “He’s dangerous, Peter.”

            Peter gaped at the man and he didn’t want to fight, but he couldn’t help himself. “So is everyone else in this room,” he said softly.

            Something flickered over Tony’s face. “We would never hurt you. Not intentionally.”

            He shook his head, feeling all the fight leave him. He was doing this because Wade asked him to. “Fine. Whatever you say, Tony. What’s the point of even trying to talk to you?” With that Peter left the room, feeling lower than he ever had in his life.

[][][]

Tony didn’t know what to do. He was simply at a lost. It didn’t take much to realize how different Peter was. Most of the time the boy looked lost. Like he didn’t know what to do with himself. He wasn’t speaking to anyone about what had happened. When he wasn’t spaced out, Peter would flinch and jerk away despite his efforts to hide it. Then there were the bursts of anger. Peter had always been a bit temperamental, typical of a teenager, but this was different. It was explosive. Like a volcano getting ready to put on a show. The episodes so far had just been minor earthquakes, boiling waters, threats of something larger to come. The boy was getting ready rain down fire and destruction. He would explode, it was just a matter of when. It was hard to watch and Tony had no idea how to deal with it.

            A knock drew his attention from where he was studying blueprints. Tony looked up to see Steve. He knew exactly why the other man was here. His face ached from where Peter hit him. “Don’t want to talk about it.”

            Steve snorted as he strolled over, leaning against the counter. “Funny. That seems to be what everyone is saying.”

            “What are you trying to say?”

            “It’s time we started talking.”

            “He won’t talk to any of us,” Tony admitted painfully. He was questioning the sanity of the Parker family for thinking he was capable of caring for their child.

            “I’m not talking about Peter. I’m talking about you. Us. The team as a whole. We need to talk and get our shit together so we can help Peter.”

            Tony was silent for a moment, considering, until he said, “Fine. What do you suggest?”

            “Come on. I have everyone gathered in conference room 32B.”

            He followed Steve out of the labs, feeling some weight come off his shoulders. Maybe getting together a plan would be best for Peter. For everyone. Tony’s mind was already reeling about topics to cover other than the obvious one. By the time they reached the room, he knew what he wanted but was willing to listen to the others. He strolled in, claimed his seat at the head of the table, next to Pepper, as everyone turned towards him. Steve took the seat next to him. The only ones who were not here were Darcy and Flash. Pepper patted his arm soothingly and something eased in his heart. He nodded to her as Steve began to speak.

            “You all know why we are here. We need to talk. Have a real in depth discussion about Peter. I know you all care for him as much as I do. As much as Tony does but this is bigger than any of us. Peter hasn’t talked to anyone yet, but it will happen. And it will happen around us and I think it would be best for us to figure out a plan of action and make sure we agree on how to handle Peter. I am opening this up for discussion now.”

            Natasha signaled with her hand and began to speak, “I want to talk about Peter first. Specifically, about his time imprisoned.”

            Tony’s chest clinched. “What about it?”

            “Something doesn’t quite add up for me. Let’s consider his behavior. He still acts like he is in survival mode. His reactions, his symptoms are far too harsh and elevated for him to have been in captivity for three days and only sustained minor wounds.”

            “What are you getting at, Nat?” Clint asked.

            “He acts like someone who hasn’t been free for a long time. Longer than just a few short days.”

            “Until Peter tells us what happened, we can’t make assumptions,” Steve said. “But I think you are right. There is something that we don’t know that is causing his severe reactions.”

            “So far I noticed that he flinches at loud noises,” Natasha said.

            “Doors. You can tell he freaks out when you close a door.” Clint added. “I closed his bed room door once. I wasn’t down the hall before he had pulled it open again.”

            “His hair,” Tony said, thinking back on his experience. “Don’t touch his hair.”

            “He’s not sleeping,” Bucky admitted quietly. “I can hear him at night, pacing in his room or messing around on his computer.”

            “He’s angry as hell.” Steve said with a sigh.

            They all nodded in agreement. They’ve all seen it. They knew it was serious if Peter could actually hit Tony in the jaw.

            “Let’s consider what we can do to help him on this journey.”

            “I want to talk about Spider-Man,” Clint said suddenly.

            Tony tensed at the mention, knowing where this was going. “I made my decision.”

            Clint leaned forward. “I know this, but I think you should reconsider.”

            “Absolutely not. He’s a kid.”

            The archer huffed. “He’s not just a kid, Tony. You know that.”

            “He still has no business to be out there fighting crime. Look at what has happened.”

            “Look, I’ve worked Spider-Man more than any of you. He knows what he is doing. He knows the risks.”

            Tony just stared at the man who wanted to endanger his godson. He glanced around, trying to find someone who agreed with him. “Steve?”

            The super-soldier reclined back in his seat, looking a bit lost. “I don’t know, Tony. I think he is too young. Too inexperienced to be out there by himself.”

            “That’s bullshit,” Bucky suddenly growled, looking straight at Steve, “and you know it.”

            “I don’t think it’s bullshit. He doesn’t know what he’s doing working alone,” Steve replied, his voice taking a sharp edge.

            Tony refrained from a comment about troubles in the bedroom, especially after Pepper kicked his shin hard under the table as if she knew what he was thinking. He cleared his throat to keep from swearing aloud as Pepper asked, “What are you thinking, Bucky?”

            “What I’m thinking is I remember this small kid from Brooklyn who was sick as hell and stubborn as a mule. Who would stuff his shoes and pick fights with bullies. Who went and subjected himself to a science experiment.”

            “It’s not the same.”

            “Like hell it is! Peter isn’t that much younger than you and I when we joined the army. There were boys younger slipping in.”

            “It was a different time.”

            “He deserves this, Steve. I vote to let Spider-Man to keep operating. It’s what the boy knows. It’s what he is good at. If we take it away from him, it’ll only set him back.”

            “I agree,” Sam voiced. “Being Spider-Man is what makes Peter feel like he’s doing good. How would any of us feel if we were asked to hang up our suits? Put down our weapons? After having done this for so long? Actually it might be easier on us, because we had lives before this. This is all Peter knows.”

            Silence settled in when Sam wrapped up his speech. Tony could relate and as much as he hated to admit it, he saw the error in his ways. “We’ll set up rules. He’s still a vigilante until SHIELD makes a decision make him come on board. If he wants to go on being Spider-Man, he’ll be properly trained by us. Bruce, have the test results come back from the samples of Peter’s blood.”

            The scientist perked up at that, flipping open his folder. “Yes. I managed to get them together this morning. I decided to wait until the meeting to bring it up.”

            “What do you have?”

            “It’s remarkable actually. As we know his DNA is completely altered. The tests reveal high resistance to all kinds of drugs and diseases. His healing factor is highly complex and interesting. It’s almost like it heals the worst injuries first, letting nonlethal injuries heal more slowly.”

            “Why?”

            “I theorize that it is to preserve energy. His stamina is on par with Steve’s, and his strength and speed surpasses any of us…well with the exception of Hulk and Thor. Not only that but from what others have gathered, Peter also has developed a sixth sense.”

            “His spidey-sense,” Tony supplied, having heard of the ability of Spider-Man being able to detect danger.

            “Exactly. But the thing is that we, Dr. Cho and myself, don’t think that Peter has reached his ultimate apex.”

            “You mean he can become stronger?”

            “Over time yes. We tracked his abilities over the past two years and we suspect that as he gets older he’ll just become more powerful. He has amazing potential.”

            “That’s why Sniegoski wanted him,” Steve thought out loud. “He figured that out.”

            “I’m afraid so.”

            Tony nodded, feeling a bit of pride over his godson. “Alright. I won’t stop him from being Spider-Man. It isn’t right… Anything else we want to discuss?”

            Wanda cleared her throat, having been silent for the majority of the meeting so far. “I would like to talk about Peter’s relationship with Deadpool.”

            “No.” Tony said, “I won’t budge on this one.” He wouldn’t. Tony didn’t understand why Peter would even consider dating the mercenary. Everything about Deadpool screamed dangerous and Tony wasn’t going to let the man hurt Peter.

            “You don’t understand, Tony… Ask any of us. Flash, Darcy, myself. We have all been around Peter and Wade. They actually make a wonderful pair.”

            “How? He’s insane.”

            “Our age,” Clint pointed out.

            “Age is just a number,” Wanda argued. “Tony, I promise you that Wade is the best thing for Peter. Keeping the two apart will only hurt Peter. I understand you don’t like him but he would never hurt Peter.”

            Tony shook his head. “No. I…just can’t. The man is insane.”

            “His history,” Nat voiced, “indicates that he’ll just ruin Peter. Whether he intends to or not.”

            “He’s a monster,” Clint grumbled.

            “We all are,” Bucky spoke up again.

            Tony fought the urge to roll his eyes. “Don’t tell me that you think I should retract my no Deadpool rule.”

            “I’m just saying that we’ve all killed. We’ve all done bad things. How can we judge a man who is not that much different from me or you?”

            There was a pause in the conversation. Pepper cleared her throat after a moment. “Let Mr. Wilson back into Peter’s life, Tony.”

            Tony turned in shock towards the woman. “What?”

            “You heard me. You are all focusing on Peter’s age but you forget that he is a legal adult. If you keep trying to cage him, he’ll run away. You’ve taken away his boyfriend and his suit. Give them back or Peter may just walk out of all of our lives.”

            “Pepper, his boyfriend is a dangerous, deranged mercenary who kills people for a living.”

            “He is also the man who saved Stark Industries…and the man that Peter loves.”

            “Peter can’t love him. No, it’s just an infatuation. A passing phase.”

            “You are wrong,” Wanda argued. “If you spent any amount of time around the two of them, you would know that they are head over heels for each other. It may not make sense to you, Tony, but have you ever seen Wade make Peter laugh? Have you seen the way Peter’s face lights up when Wade is in the room? I have. You haven’t.”

            Pepper nodded to the other woman in satisfaction. “You either let Mr. Wilson into the tower or I will. Your choice.”

            Tony sat there for some time, mulling it over silently before admitting, “I’ll consider it.”

            It was enough of an answer as she nodded and patted his arm. “Fair enough.”

            They talked a bit more after that, coming up with an action plan but for the most part the conversation had wound down and they parted. Tony paused on his way down to the labs, considering everything that they had talked about. He sighed and pulled out his phone.

            “JARVIS, call Deadpool’s cell for me?”

            “Of course, sir.”

            Tony pressed the phone to his ear and waited.

            “This is the Liverpool hotline. If you want a man dead, that’s not my area anymore. If you want someone maimed, we can negotiate.”

            Tony pinched the bridge of his nose. “Deadpool, this is Tony Stark. I’d like to have a word with you.”

            He was met with a silence for a moment and then… “What can I do for you, Mr. Stark?”

            “Let’s talk about Peter.”

[][][]

A light tap on his open door drew Peter’s attention from his computer screen. Flash stood in his door way with a slightly panicked expression. He handed Peter a piece of paper, saying, “Darcy insists that we do Secret Santa’s so everyone gets a present.”

            Peter unfolded the paper, reading ‘ _Bucky’_ in neat hand writing. Flash went on talking. “Dude, I have Steve. I have to get gift for Steve Rogers. What the fuck does someone get for Captain fucking America?”

            “Be glad it’s not Tony.”

            “Peter, not funny. I’m freaking out.”

            “Christmas is in four days.”

            “ _I know.”_

            Peter gave him a small smirk. “Fine. We’ll go Christmas present shopping.”

            Soon him and Flash were heading to some stores just few blocks from the tower. It was cold but sunny. The tower was becoming a prison. He felt cagey most days. Irritable at best. He hadn’t spoken to Tony and he had no intentions of changing that. They avoided each other like the plague and everything just felt like shit where Peter was concerned. He didn’t know how to describe it. One moment he would be fine but then the next he would get frustrated over something simple. He’d be amused one second and the next, so angry he couldn’t see straight. His moods fluctuated so rapidly, Peter didn’t know what to do. So he avoided people the best he could to avoid a fight or hurting someone’s feelings.  

            Regardless it felt good to get out. During the day it was easier than at night and having Flash with him helped smooth over the tension he felt. They visited various stores, discussing what the person they were buying for would like. They decided to go for a joint gift since they were buying for Steve and Bucky. So the two of them pooled their money together and bought a broken record player and some vintage vinyl discs of the hits, both from the 1930s and 40s by their best estimate and then for stocking stuffing, they bought a bunch of traditional 1940s candy that wasn’t widely sold in stores anymore. Overall Peter felt confident that he could get the record player working again and that both men would get joy out of the gifts. Flash calmed down too for the most part.

            They stopped for lunch at a food truck and sat down on a nearby bench with their sandwiches. Peter asked, “So how are you adjusting to living with the Avengers?”

            Flash snorted lightly. “About as well as you can expect. Sometimes it doesn’t feel real.”

            “Have you heard from your dad?”

            “He’s tried contacting me, but I blocked his number. Tony somehow managed to get it so he can’t use any leverage to get me to come home.”

            “He would.”

            “Yeah, Director Coulson…he offered me job if I don’t turn the military into a lifelong career. He’d like me to come to SHIELD after.”

            Peter perked up at that. “That is awesome, Flash!”

            His friend smiled sheepishly. “Yeah, well. I wouldn’t have been offered if it wasn’t for you, Peter. I guess what I’m trying to say is thanks for being my friend.”

            Peter snorted lightly at the awkward expression. “No problem, I guess.”

            Flash was silent for a few minutes as they ate and watched the people pass them by. “So are you going to go back out as Spider-Man?”

            “I don’t know,” Peter admitted softly.

            “You don’t know?”

            “I don’t know,” he reiterated. “I…Flash, I get scared. Certain things bring me back to when I was…gone. As if I’m reliving it. Sometimes to keep from freaking out I just let myself get angry.”

            “That’s why you’ve been fighting like hell with Tony.”

            “Yeah, I don’t do it on purpose. It just happens. I’m afraid if I let myself feel something other than anger then everything will fall apart.”

            “Peter, you can’t keep this stuff bottled up. Even I know that’s not a healthy way of coping. You’ve been through hell, man. You need to talk to someone. Maybe one of the Avengers.”

            “I don’t want to.”

            “Why the hell not?”

            “Because I…I don’t want to become a burden on them.”

            “You know, for a really smart guy you can be really stupid.” Flash stood to throw his trash in a garbage bin. “You aren’t a burden to anyone. Talk to me. I don’t know how much I can help but you can tell me what happened. But I suggest you go to one of the others too.”

            “Like who?” Peter copied him, throwing his stuff away and lifted his shopping bag.

            “Tony would be at the top of the list. Wade being next. Steve, Bucky…hell even Sam.”

            Peter shook his head. Maybe he could talk to Wade but he wasn’t ready. He wasn’t ready to deal with the emotions, the feelings, that came with something like this. Once it was out…once everyone knew, there would be no going back. That was why he hadn’t had told Coulson the truth. It would have revealed too much of what he had endured and he couldn’t put that burden on the Avengers. He was terrified that it would break them. That it would be too much of a revelation for Tony. Peter could see how three days of him being missing had weighed on the man. What if Tony knew it had actually been longer?

            “Hey!” Flash shouted as he began tugging Peter along. “Why don’t we go to the arcade. It’ll be fun.”

            “S-sure.” Peter responded slowly before following in earnest.

[][][]

            He managed to get the record playing working beautifully. Him and Flash wrapped up the presents and sneaked them under the largest tree where Darcy had ordered them to put the presents once they had been wrapped in only shiny and colorful wrapping paper with a minimum of two bows. Anything that wasn’t up to standard would be confiscated and the Secret Santa of that present would be found. Everyone made sure the presents were up to standard.

            He felt a pang of remorse. Peter missed his aunt. Since he had woken in the hospital room, he had talked to his aunt every day. Sometimes more than once a day. She never questioned it. Never made a comment about how he would fall silent and just stare at nothing. She’d listen to him vent about Tony or whatever was frustrating him at the moment. He could never go into detail because it would reveal too much. Every day that passed, he wanted to desperately tell her the truth. A few times Peter almost did. He never noticed how she’d would begin crying as they hung up. Peter couldn’t wait for the two of them to be together again but on their last phone call she told him that it looked like she wouldn’t be coming home for the holiday because of weather. So with each passing day, he felt more down.

            When Christmas Eve rolled around, him and Tony were still not speaking to each other. Darcy dragged him out of his room to help her bake while others cooked the meal. Peter worked quietly as he made his Aunt May’s cookies and pie. His mind kept wondering. He thought a lot about Wade and how much he wished he could spend the holiday with him. He hated the idea of Wade spending another holiday by himself. So Peter hoped that Wade at least went out and spent the night with someone just so he wasn’t alone.

            The food was made and cookies and pies were cooling on a rack by the time everyone showed up. Even Rhodey managed to make it, smiling as he greeted Peter. As the party progressed, Peter realized how much he’d changed. He sat down in his bean bag chair and watched the others have good time. He was left alone for the most part but Pepper and Steve both came by and tried to get him to talk. Peter couldn’t help how sullen and out of place he felt. He wanted to be part of it but Peter felt like he was hitting walls.

            “Okay everyone!” Darcy suddenly announced. “Let’s start exchanging gifts! I’ll be the Christmas Elf.”

            Darcy began redistributing the presents from under the tree to their rightful owners. By the time she was done, Peter was a bit surprised when he didn’t have present. Darcy didn’t look too happy about this turn of events either. She planted her fists on her hips and glowered at the Avengers.

            “Okay. Who didn’t get Peter a gift?”

            “It’s fine, Darcy.” Peter said, trying to be a trooper about it.

            “Like hell it isn’t.”

            “I am Peter’s Secret Santa,” Tony said, standing behind the couch.

            “Stark, it’s called secret for a reason.”

            Tony rolled his eyes and looked at Peter. “My present for you isn’t under the tree because it wouldn’t fit. Wait a moment.”

            Peter traded glances with Flash as his godfather walked out of the room. He stood as he waited, feeling uneasy. Peter felt his heart skip a beat as he saw Wade step out of the hall, wearing an ugly Christmas sweater and plaid lounge pants, his mask in place. He glanced at Tony, seeing a small smile on the older man’s face. Peter launched himself at Wade, clearing the living room in just a matter of seconds. He wrapped himself around Wade as the man held him just as tightly and chuckled.

            “Surprise! I’m your Christmas present.”

            Peter pulled back to look at Tony who looked completely done with them already. “What?”

            “After much consideration, I decided to remove my ban on this loon. That is my present to you.” Tony also handed him a present that he had been hiding behind his back. “And…this too.”

            Frowning slightly, Peter took it and opened the seal on the gift bag. His eyes widened at his suit before turning to look at his godfather for further explanation.

            Tony said, “I’m not going to fight you on whether or not you should operate as Spider-Man…but I have conditions. Tomorrow I want you to bring all of your tech to me and let’s start making improvements. Also Natasha, Steve, and Bucky will begin training you.”

            Peter shook his head, ignoring the mixed feelings he had, and went to Tony. He pulled Tony into a hug, saying, “Thank you, Tony. It means a lot. You don’t know how much.”

            Tony heaved a heavy sigh, holding him just as tightly. “I don’t want to fight with you, Peter.”

            He pulled back. “I don’t want to either. Thank you.” Peter moved back over to Wade and tugged on his mask. “Remove it?”

            “Don’t want to ruin the party, baby boy.”

            “Please?”

            Peter could tell that Wade was more conflicted than normal about the mask. He pressed, “I want to see your face. Pretty please?”

            “Well, since you asked so nicely.” Wade pulled off the mask, a cautious look in his eyes. Peter couldn’t help but peck the man on the lips before pulling him over to where he had been sitting. The bean bag chair wasn’t nearly big enough for the both of them but Wade plopped down next to it, letting Peter take the seat again. They held hands as they watched the others open their gifts. Some were gag gifts and others were thoughtful. To his and Flash’s relief Steve and Bucky loved their gifts. Peter could see in the way that their eyes lit up and grins crossed their faces.

            “Have you eaten?” Wade asked once everyone was done opening gifts.

            “No,” Peter answered. “Not yet.”

            Wade nodded and stood, walking into the kitchen. He returned a moment later with a big plate layered high with a variety of food and two soda cans in hand. Peter smiled as they ate off the same plate while they watched Christmas movies. He caught the others watching him and Wade with mixed expressions. About half way through the second movie, Peter noticed Wade shifting.

            “You want to switch places?”

            “No, baby. I’ll be fine.”

            “I want you to be comfortable too.” Peter looked around. Steve, Bucky, Sam and Darcy were all crammed on the couch. Natasha, Clint and Lucky were sprawled on the chase. Pepper and Tony were in a recliner together and Wanda, Rhodey and Bruce took the remaining seats. Peter stood from his bean bag chair and began moving around the room, trying to find the best angle to watch the TV. He reached the furthest corner and jumped up the wall before turning to check the angle. It was then he realized that everyone was watching him. He smiled sheepishly and decided that this was the best spot. He stuck web to one wall and attached it the other wall. Peter built a web hammock big enough to hold him and Wade in no time.

            “Uh, Petey, baby, what are you doing?” Wade asked, walking over.

            “Go get pillows and blankets.”

            Wade grinned as Peter maneuvered into the hammock and relaxed.  He caught the items when Wade returned and helped the mercenary up. Wade stretched out on one end while Peter laid at the other, their legs tangling together beneath the blankets. As they settled Peter was surprised by how safe he felt. Wade made him feel safe in a way that the others didn’t. He couldn’t explain it but it was true. For the first time since he woke from being in the medical wing, he felt calm. No one bothered them even after both men in the hammock slipped off into a peaceful slumber as _It’s a Wonderful Life_ played on the massive TV.

[][][]

            Peter woke up screaming. It was the kind of screaming that was the product of pure terror. Hands tried grabbing him but Peter pushed back with all his strength. In his panic, he did not hear the body hit the floor. Peter could only see the blood on his hands. Could only see the dead bodies of loved ones around him. Peter could only see the inside of the sealed door that never opened. Someone was dragging him across the floor just by his hair as he kicked to get his feet under him before they reached wherever they were going. Peter screamed and screamed as cold eyes looked on.

            Someone wrapped around him, pinning him until he fell limp. Peter wanted to keep fighting but as moments ticked by, he became aware of a few things. One being the metal arm across his chest. The other being Bucky’s voice talking in his ear. Bucky wasn’t in the chamber with him. Bucky hadn’t been captured with him. Peter let go a jagged breath and opened his eyes, seeing that he was still in the hammock. The Avengers were gathered, looking on worriedly. Despite his panicked muddled brain, Peter realized he had had a nightmare. In the next heartbeat, he felt embarrassment. He was doing so good. He thought he was getting better. How could this happen?

            “Peter, it’s okay,” Bucky said. “You are safe.”

            Peter didn’t know how to respond so he just pushed the man away and dropped to the floor. When Wade moved towards him, Peter threw up his hands. “Don’t touch me,” he snapped. He didn’t mean to. In retrospect, Peter probably had knocked Wade out of the hammock but Peter wasn’t thinking rationally. Not when he felt like he was about to fall apart. “I’m fine. I’m fine.”

He hurried to his bathroom and slammed the door shut in just pure stubbornness as if to prove a point. Any other door would have broken under the force but Tony had taken in account the amount of people with super-strength that lived in the tower. He couldn’t stand doors being closed. Going to his bed room or bathroom had been problematic because of it because of the way his anxiety would spike whenever he saw a door was closed. It angered him. Something so simple shouldn’t terrify him so much. It shouldn’t make him want to get up and go open it. He hated that damn door.

Peter gripped the edges of the sink, trying to remain calm but he felt like he was busting at the seams. It was all coming apart. He felt like such a failure. He wasn’t good enough. He didn’t deserve the title of Spider-Man. He was just a kid playing a man’s game.

            Peter looked up into the mirror and saw the bruises that once were there. He saw the dark circles beneath his eyes. His skin looked pale and thin. He’d lost weight. It wasn’t much but it was enough to make him lose the roundness left in his face. Peter trembled as he looked into his own dark eyes, tinged red and watery from unshed tears. He could see Sniegoski. Hear his voice.

            _“We are going to find out just how strong you are, Spider-Man.”_

_“Run, Spidey, Run!”_

_“Oh, what tangled webs we weave.”_

_“Dying is the easy part, Peter. Suffering is what makes you beg for death.”_

He could remember every last damn thing Sniegoski would say to him. Remember the things he’d do to him. Peter remembered every detail, every bit of pain. He felt the fear and the shame. Now there was only anger. Peter saw red.

            His fist slammed into the mirror in front of him, driving his fist through the backing and into the wall as pieces fell into the sink and on the floor. He yanked his arm out and threw the door open, going into his bed room where he grabbed the first thing he came to which was the lamp on his desk. With all his force Peter threw it, watching it shatter. He jerked his chair up and slammed it down over his desk. He just tore his room apart. There was no rhyme or reason to any of it. Peter broke down his closet door, punching it until his hands were dripping and numb. He kept going even as blood splattered across the carpet.

            Someone grabbed him from behind, dragging him out of the demolished room. Peter struggled, realizing it was Wade who had grabbed him.

            “Let me go!” Peter screamed, kicking the other man as hard as he could but Wade held on, grunting pass the pain.

            Once they were in the living room, Wade released him and Peter rounded on him.

            “Hit me!” Wade roared, getting in Peter’s face. Peter felt the fury rush out of him at the look on the merc’s face. “Come on! Hit me!”

            They were both panting. The pain was returning to his hands. Peter couldn’t bring himself to do it. He cringed at the thought of it. He just glared at Wade.

            “If you can’t bear the thought of hurting me, or Steve, or Tony or any of these people, you don’t get to hurt yourself. Do you understand? You do not get to hurt yourself!”

            Peter then realized that they were not alone. He saw the stricken looks. The worried looks. The looks like they expected this to happen at some point. He clenched his teeth.

            “Talk to me, baby.”

            “Talk? What the hell is there to talk about, Wade?” Peter’s voice rose with each word.

            “You know what I mean. How are you feeling?”

            “How am I feeling? I’m fucking angry. I’m angry all the time now. I can’t fucking explain it. I don’t know why. I just stay mad. I’m so fucking angry and it-it feels like I’m losing my fucking mind!”

            “Why? What is making you angry?” Wade asked, not flinching from the outburst. If anything, the man moved closer.

            “I’m angry because I can’t say anything. I can’t tell anybody anything. It’s eating me alive. I’m angry because of what Sniegoski did to me. I’m angry because there was nothing I could do to save myself. I’m angry because I’m not good enough. I’m a failure. I’m angry because I’m a disappointment and that there isn’t a damn thing I can do about it!”

            The tears were falling freely now. The cracks were in his resolve were shattering. Wade asked, “what is it that is eating you alive?”

            Peter was surprised when his chest heaved in a sob. “Sniegoski…he didn’t have him just for three days, Wade. He’s a fucking monster.”

            A flicker of fear crossed the older man’s face. “What do you mean?”

            “Sniegoski can manipulate minds. It was two months. I-I was there for two months.” Everything that Peter had been trying to hold back just came rushing forth. He didn’t know why he had to carry it like a secret but he just did. Saying it out loud made it real. Way too real but now that he started, he couldn’t stop the words from tumbling out. “H-he’d fuck with my head. Make me feel like I was going insane. I-I didn’t think… The shit that happened to me. The shit he made me do, make me see and experience…I was almost convinced that no one was coming for me.”

            Peter was trembling and crying. He clenched his hands to try to still them. Wade stepped closer. “Baby boy, you gotta know that we searched for you tirelessly.”

            “I know.”

            “Baby, it’s only been two weeks. Half that time you were in a coma. It’s okay to be angry.” Wade moved even closer, pulling Peter into a hug. He went with it, unable to fight it. “It’s okay to feel the way you do. Let us help you.”        

            “I don’t know how.” Peter admitted weakly into his boyfriend’s shoulder. His adrenalin was crashing and embarrassment was working its way into his chest.

            “That’s okay too.” Wade pulled away. “Come on. Let’s doctor those boo-boos. It’ll be like old times.”

            Peter would have spared a weak smile but his heart wasn’t in it. He kept his eyes trained on the floor or Wade’s back as his boyfriend led him to the kitchen. Wade was safe. Wade didn’t expect anything from him. There was whispering. It sounded like some were arguing. Peter ignored it as Wade lifted him and set him on the counter and dug out a first aid kit. How the merc knew it was there, Peter had no idea. Still he submitted his hands over to Wade. They ached and when Peter saw them, he could understand why. They were already bruising up the back of his hands and wrists. The knuckles were raw and bloody. Scratches and cuts littered his wrists and forearms. Wade’s soft humming as he worked served as a balm to his frayed nerves.

            Wade began singing as he worked over Peter’s hands. Peter just felt numb both emotionally and physically, despite the pain he felt as the cuts were cleaned. Once Wade was done, he reached up and touched the bullet pendant around Peter’s neck. “My little light in the darkness.”

            “Not much of a light right now.” Peter responded hoarsely as he let his head drop.

            Scared fingers lifted his head and he was looking into Wade’s bright eyes. “More so now than ever. ‘Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times’.”

            “If one only remembers to turn on the light.”

            “I love you, Peter.”

            Peter could feel his eyes tear up again. “I love you too, Wade.” He leaned up and kissed the other man, feeling his chest warm with something other than anger.

            The kiss broke as somebody collided into them. Peter had a mouth full of blond hair as Flash said, “Aw I love you guys too.”

            “Killing the mood, Eugene,” Wade grumbled.

            There was another shift as Darcy threw herself at them. “I want in on this!” She leaned closer until she was kissing Peter’s cheek. “I’m here for you, sweetie. I love you so much.”

            “Jesus,” Tony said gruffly as Peter hopped off the counter. “Out of the way. All of you. He’s my godson, damn it.”

            Peter was soon wrapped up in hug with the other man. “You need to talk to someone, Peter. You can’t go on like this.”

            “I know.”

            Tony held him tighter. “Who are you willing to talk to?”

            Peter pulled away and looked the expectant faces. Finally, he said, “Sam. I-I’ll talk to Sam… if he’s okay with it.”

            The man’s eyes went wide. “Me? Yeah, of course, you can talk to me, Peter. How about tomorrow?”

            “Y-yeah.” He looked around and realized it was nearly three in the morning. “Uh, Merry Christmas?”

            Tony tucked him beneath his arm and kissed his temple. “Merry Christmas, Peter.”

            “Pancakes!” Wade yelled triumphantly. “We shall dine on the feast of kings this fine holiday morning.”

            Peter snorted, relaxing a bit. He was beginning to feel exhausted from the emotional roller coaster but he didn’t want to be alone or to go to bed yet.

            Tony rolled his eyes. “Better not destroy my kitchen, Wilson.”

            “It’s not like you can’t afford a new one or anything,” Wade replied easily.

            Peter moved to sit at the counter next to Steve and Bucky. Both men moved to touch him in some way, not allowing him to pull away. Peter watched Wade and Tony bicker back and forth as his boyfriend cooked them all breakfast. He managed to crank out an insane amount of food but Peter didn’t expect any less. Natasha had sidled up next to him, setting a cup of coffee in front of him just as Wade said, “Did I ever tell you guys about the time I started a cult?”

            “So you love _him?_ ” She said, eyeing him cautiously.

            “Nat…” Steve began warningly.

            Peter couldn’t help the tiny smile that he got from watching Wade tell his story as Darcy listened with wide eyes and Tony watched with a mix of disgust and horror. “I’m with him for better or for worse.”

            “It’ll probably be for worse.”

            “I knew that the day I met him.” Honestly, Peter didn’t care. He’d already been to hell and back and he’d go through it again for Wade in heartbeat.

            “Just think, Pops,” Wade said as he put a hug stack of pancakes in front of Tony, “on the bright side I’m not addicted to cocaine.”

            “You’re insane,” Tony said blandly.

            “I know! Isn’t it great?”

            Clint groaned from where he had sat on the counter, leaning back against the cabinets. “Will you stop? Your ‘insanity’ almost got me killed once.”

            “Dick shaped pancakes for you it is then.”

            “Knock it off.”

            Natasha hummed loudly. “Is this coffee bitter?” She sipped from her ‘Greatest Ass. Alive’ mug. “No. It must be you, Clint.”

            “Nat! Whose side are you on?”

            “Not yours.”

            Peter knew what they were trying to do. He appreciated it. It took the focus off of him even though it was on everyone’s minds. The thing was he had to stop Sniegoski and the way he was dealing with everything right now he would be nowhere near ready to face off with him. The man had to stopped but for right now Peter would heal. He found himself leaning against Steve, his head resting on the other man’s shoulder. A hand moved gently through his hair and he opened his eyes, not even realizing they had fallen shut. He gazed up at Tony who wore a pinched look.

            “You want something to eat?”

            He straightened, seeing everyone else had a plate and he shrugged. “I’m not that hungry…”

            Tony nodded. “Why don’t you go take a shower and go get some rest? I’ll come check on you in a bit.”

            “You can use our bathroom,” Steve offered and Peter grimaced inwardly as he remembered what he did earlier to his bathroom.

            “Okay. Thanks.” Peter stood and headed towards the bathroom.

            “I think I’ll join ya,” Wade said, strutting after him.

            “I do not think so!” Tony snapped, snatching Wade by the collar of his sweater. “You want to stay in the tower, you best behave yourself.”

            Peter felt something loosen in his chest as he escaped to be alone for a while. He grabbed a clean set of house clothes and went down the hall to Steve and Bucky’s personal bath. Peter started the shower and sat down on the edge of the separate tub. He honestly couldn’t describe the way he felt. It was all too scary. Things have changed and there was no going back. Once he started talking about what happened to him, he had no idea how much more would change. He just wanted to move on. Peter unwrapped the bandages around his hands and took in the bruises and busted knuckles. They ached painfully. It made him feel real but ashamed at the same time. He’d never felt anger like that before. It was desperate, powerful and consuming. It scared him. Peter knew that he had to deal with it. He had no other choice. If he kept on this road, someone would get hurt. Right now, in this moment, he might not be able to put on the suit and fight crime but he could do this. He could talk to Sam and take the first step in the right direction. To heal. To move on. He just had to hold on to that hope no matter how fragile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally! This chapter had been sitting on my computer for awhile now, unproofed, but I have been unable to update due to complications. I went on a impromptu camping trip with family so I was unable to upload at the time. Then I had to get ready for University and I started having trouble with my computer. I am very sorry that it has taken so long and I haven't really been able to give direct update information. 
> 
> The story is still going strong. I'm still crazy in love with it so it will get finished. However as for updates, I'll still try to give exact dates but those are estimates, give or take a day. We'll just see how this semester goes. My real life is more important than this story though so I ask everyone to be respectful of that. 
> 
> Remember my stories have a happy endings.
> 
> Thank you to everyone who has supported me. The sweet, amazing comments help so much.It's such an amazing experience. So thank you for all of your patience. Hopefully I can get back on track with updates. 
> 
> Next hopeful update: January 29th!!!!
> 
> EDIT (1/29):There will not be an update today and I’m incredibly sorry. I have the chapter written but I am not satisfied with it. So I am going to take a few more days to really work on it. I can’t say for sure when I will upload it because I will be extremely busy this upcoming week, but I will post it as soon as I can. Also the chapter will be longer than usual, so bonus? 
> 
> Thank you for your patience and stay safe.
> 
> EDIT (2/7):I’ve hit a bit of a road block. I’m really struggling with it. So I’m going to take a little more time to work on the chapter to make sure it’s right and the direction I want to go with the fic. 
> 
> I thank everyone for your patience and I promise I will finish this fic. I’ve come too far to stop now. 
> 
> Stay safe <3
> 
> EDIT (2/17) Okay. So I’ve lost track of the number of weeks it has been since I last updated. I am currently in the middle of applying to grad school and I suspect I will be busy over the next two weeks. Hopefully after March 1st I will be able to start working on the story again. 
> 
> I promise I have not dropped the story. I’m just having to take a bit of break. Thank you for your patience.


	18. The Death of Something That Once Was

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Be sure to read the end comments! Enjoy!
> 
> Warnings for graphic violence, mentions of torture, and overall sadness. 
> 
> If you have concerns before reading, message me.

  ** _Sniegoski stood over him, a frown twisting his features. Peter tried to calm the fear in his stomach as he was released from his shackles, falling to the floor in a heap as his weakened muscles gave out from under him. A hand snatched his hair and began to pull, dragging him along the cold floor. Peter struggled to get to his feet. Every time he was almost up, he’d trip and fall hard to his knees. The man was relentless and Peter didn’t have the slightest idea about where they were going._**

**_Eventually they came to a stop, a door swung open and the grip on his hair tightened, lifting and shoving him through the door. Peter stumbled, catching himself before struggling to his feet. He stood, turning to face the man. Peter barely found humor in the fact that he was taller than Sniegoski._ **

**_“We are going to find out just how strong you are, Spider-Man.”_ **

**_“What is this?” Peter asked, glancing at the hallway. It looked like any other medical hallway, lights flickering gave an ominous air._ **

**_“Your first trial.”_ **

**_“Trial?”_ **

**_“I will put you through a series of trials. Each one is designed to test your limits and push you beyond those limits. Both mentally and physically.”_ **

**_“What if I don’t want to play along?”_ **

**_Sniegoski smirked. “Then you’ll die.”_ **

[][][]

            Peter shifted nervously on the edge of his seat, scratching Lucky’s ears absent mindedly. He was currently waiting in the living room for Steve. He was nervous, his stomach doing uneasy flips. He wanted to back out, but he somehow knew that no one would allow him to. Tony had just left him to attend to business, but not before telling him that everything was going to be alright. It wasn’t much but it was enough. He hadn’t seen anyone else since last night. Steve had stopped him and told him that he would walk Peter to the VA center. Peter didn’t know what to make of going to a place like that. It wasn’t something he really wanted to dwell on.

            Steve emerged from down the hall, dressed in a t-shirt and khakis. “Ready to go?”

            “Now or never, huh?” Peter quipped halfheartedly as he stood with a final pat on Lucky’s side.

            “Only if you are ready.”

            Peter made eye contact with the other man. He knew that Steve was giving him an out. A chance to make a break for it…but something in Steve’s expression kept him from doing just that. “Let’s go.”

            Steve smiled and lead them out of the tower. It was a quiet walk as they headed towards the center. They arrived to the building where Sam met them in the lobby. Peter tried not to stare at obvious veterans filling the place. He felt painfully out of place, but Sam clapped him on the shoulder, showing him down a hallway.

            “I managed to snag us a room last minute.”

            “Why here?” Peter finally asked. “Why not in the tower?”

            “We can move to the tower if you really want to, but I thought it would be best to get you away from the tower to deal with stuff like this. Your home needs to be your safe zone. While this place is safe as well but it can get emotionally intense.” They paused in front of a closed door. “I tell you what. Try it today and if you don’t like it, we’ll head to the tower.”

            “Okay.”

            “I’ll wait out here for you guys,” Steve said, motioning to some benches placed in the hallway.

            Sam opened the door and ushered Peter inside. The room was small, fitted with cushioned chairs and a bookshelf. The blinds were open, letting in natural light. Peter took the seat directly across from Sam’s. He noticed that the coffee table between them had two water bottles and a box of tissues. Peter almost walked out but Sam began speaking.

            “Can I ask you a question, Peter?”

            “Uh, sure.”

            “Why did you ask me? You could have picked anyone.”

            Peter shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t really know. You just seemed like a good idea at the time.”

            “At the time?” Sam asked with a slight smile.

            “Well, you still do. I don’t know.”

            “I’m not going to make you talk if you really don’t to.”

            “That’s a first.”

            “I know. Everyone just cares about you. You’ve been quite the handful since you moved in with Tony.”

            “I guess being Spider-Man helps explain it.”

            Sam laughed lightly. “It sure as hell cleared up a lot.”

            Peter fell silent then, looking away. Sam let them sit in silence for a few minutes before pressing forward. “Is there anything you’d like to talk about, Peter?”

            He leaned back in his seat and shrugged. Peter then grimaced as he realized how bad that must have looked. “I swear I’m not trying to be difficult. I just don’t know where to start.”

            Sam nodded in understanding. “It’s okay, Peter. How about we start with what happened the other night. What made you snap?”

            “I was remembering things that he would say to me. The things he would do. I just lost it. I’ve been so angry. It’s not like me.”

            “Why have you been angry?”

            Peter shook his head. “I get frustrated. Things that never bothered me before, get in the way. I can’t…How am I expected to be Spider-Man if I freak out because of a loud noise or I flinch because someone moves too quickly?”

            “Don’t focus on that, Peter. You are Spider-Man no matter what but if you continue to think about it like that, it will only set you back.”

            “But, Sam, I…remember the other night when Coulson was at the tower?”

            “Yeah, he wanted information from you.”

            “I was out as Spider-Man and I…I came back because I got spooked by a gun shot. It missed me. My spidey-sense didn’t even need to warn me but the noise caused me to panic. I was almost to the tower before I even realized what had happened…What if it happens again but someone dies because I freeze up or run away?”

            “You can’t think like that, Peter. You are expecting too much of yourself too soon. From what I understand, Sniegoski had you longer than three days. Or at least made you feel like you were there longer than three days.”

            “Yeah, it was close to two months.”

            “And it has only been just over two weeks since you were recovered. Peter, the fact that you have made it this far and still do the things you do is remarkable. You should give yourself more credit.”

            “I always feel like I should be doing more or I’m not doing enough.”

            “Peter, listen to me. What you are doing right now, right this very second, is enough. Nothing more is expected of you. You have done plenty. It’s time that you sit back and heal.”

            Peter considered what the older man said. He could feel the tightness in his chest loosen as Sam spoke. After a few seconds, Sam went on, “how about we discuss ways to handle your anxiety and nightmares.”

            “Okay.”

            “What kind of things cause you anxiety?”

            Peter rolled his eyes to look at the ceiling, considering. “Since I got back…um, doors being closed, sudden loud noises, people grabbing my hair, conflict in general. I don’t know I’m just really insecure all the time now. I feel like everyday something new bothers me. It’s tough to explain.”

            “That’s okay…Let’s go over some things that you can do to avoid panic attacks, shall we?”

            “Yeah, that sounds good.”

            Over the next half hour, Sam taught him different things like looking for signs of panic attacks and what to do to stave off an attack or what to do during one. Sam also told him other things like what to expect as time goes on. He warned Peter about depression and how he’ll have good and bad days and that it was important to tell others what kind of day he was having. When Sam asked if Peter ever thought about ending his own life, Peter felt his stomach drop.

            “I-I don’t want to die, Sam. Honest. I never have. I _want_ to live. I just…Some days I don’t know how. I just need…I need something to help me keep going. To keep fighting. I don’t care what it is. I feel like if you can just give me the tools that I need I can live. Give me a fucking stick and I’ll keep living.”

            Sam smiled. “I’m going to give more than just a stick to fight with.”

            Peter released a sigh and leaned back. “Thanks, Sam.”

            “No problem, Peter…It looks like our time is up. It’s going to take more than just this once. How about we meet twice a week? Does that work for you?”

            “Yeah. That’s good…One more thing, Sam, before we go.”

            “What’s that?”

            “Should I tell all of you what happened to me?”

            Sam’s expression softened. “I would recommend it if only you feel comfortable doing so. Sometimes having your network know what happened can help. It’ll also get that weight off your chest. You don’t even have to share all the details at once. Just share what you are comfortable with. No one expects you to say anything though.”

            “I’ve been thinking about it…Well, since yesterday. Before that I was determined not to say anything. But I think I want to go ahead and tell everyone together and be done with it because I want the others to know. It feels like a dirty secret.”

            “I think it would be good but only when you are ready…I tell you what, when you are just tell me that you are and I’ll handle gathering everyone.”

            “Yeah. That’s good. I can do that.”

            “I’m proud of you, Peter. You did good today.”

            Peter smiled at that. “Thank you.”

            “Let’s go get Steve and we’ll pick up some take out on the way back to the tower.”

[][][]

            “How are you, dear?” His aunt’s voice came over the speaker.

            “I’m good,” He said honestly. “How are you?”

            “I’m well. I can’t wait to see you. I miss you so much.”

            His chest clenched. “I miss you too.”

            “The holidays were horrible without you. It just didn’t feel right.”

            “No. It didn’t.”

            “Well, I’ll be coming home the second Friday of January.”

            “That’s wonderful, Aunt May…” Peter paused, thinking. He had been thinking about telling his aunt about his identity a lot lately and it was making him seriously nervous every time he got on the phone with her. “I…I have something to tell you.”

            “Oh? Did you and that boy make up?”

            “What? No. I mean, yeah?”

            Her voice lit up. “Tell me about him?”

            “Well…his name is Wade.”

            “Is he a superhuman?”

            His heart skipped. “What? Why would you ask that?”

            “Well, you are living with the Avengers. I assume you’ve met some interesting characters.”

            “Um, yeah. He’s superhuman… He’s Deadpool.”

            There was a beat of silence before she asked, “the mercenary turned hero?”

            “Uh, yeah?”

            “Does Mr. Stark know?”

            “Yes, ma’am.”

            “And what does he think of it?”

            “He didn’t like it at first, kept us apart but he’s letting me see Wade now.”

            “Does he treat you good, Peter?”

            He was surprised by the answer but he was able to respond easily. “Yeah, he does, Aunt May. He loves me… I love him.”

            “I’m so happy for you, Peter,” his aunt replied warmly. “I’ll want to talk to him soon.”

            “Yes, ma’am. I’ll make that happen.”

            “Good boy. So tell me more about him.”

            Peter grinned shyly to himself. “Well…”

[][][]

**_The door slammed shut, the light flickering overhead. Peter swallowed hard and approached it. There was no handle on this side of the door. He pushed against it with all his strength. It didn’t budge in the slightest, but Peter began to realize that his strength was returning to him and he didn’t feel so weak in his limbs. After trying for a moment more, he turned to the hallway and began walking. It was eerily quiet. No windows led him to the outside world. Peter called into question how real this situation was. Something about it didn’t feel right. Nothing about this felt right. Peter pushed forward, trying to open doors as he went but none of them budged. He followed the maze of turns until he finally came across an opened door. He stepped into the empty room cautiously, knowing that he didn’t have much options. The door slammed shut behind him. He flinched at the loud sound. Out of the darkness stepped a man, fire burning in his eyes and in his hands. It was the man that Wade had killed._ **

**_“No…”_ **

**_“Hey, Spidey. Only one of us gets to walk out of here alive.”_ **

**_“No,” Peter snapped, “You are dead.”_ **

**_“Are you sure about that? I feel very alive right now.”_ **

**_Peter tensed as the man moved into a fighting position, his eyes wild and hateful. The man lunged and Peter barely managed to duck. He rolled away from the blow, heat scalding his flesh. Peter had no choice but to bounce around the room to avoid the flames and the punches. The space was much too small to give Peter any kind of fighting chance. He couldn’t fight the man hand to hand without causing serious injury to himself. He was out of options here, especially as he began to tire. He didn’t know how long they kept up this game of cat and mouse, the man yelling insults at him, until Peter slipped and fell. The man was on him in a heartbeat. He fended off the man the best he could but he was being burned badly. The man pinned him, sneering at Peter._ **

**_“You lose.” He struck and Peter was swallowed whole in blinding pain, his screams echoing through the room as his vision went black and his heart stopped. The pain continued though as Peter drifted between life and death. It felt like his flesh was being stripped from the bones. Peter had never felt anything like it before. Then the pain stopped, his eyes flew open and he was back at the beginning. His breathing was wild and he could feel the wetness of his tears on his face._ **

**_“Dying is the easy part, Peter.” Sniegoski’s voice filtered into the room. “Suffering is what makes you beg for death.”_ **

**_Peter swallowed hard before screaming, “Why! Why do this!”_ **

**_“I must test your willingness to kill. It’s shockingly nonexistent if you’d rather to be killed than to bloody your own hands. Which I find odd since you already have taken so many lives.”_ **

**_“Don’t do this.” Peter pleaded as looked down the hallway, knowing he would have to go that way again. He couldn’t do it again. He couldn’t experience that pain again. He didn’t want to die again._ **

**_“All you have to do is kill, Peter.”_ **

**_Peter launched to his feet and slammed into the door, pounding on it until his fists were bloody but the door remained unscratched. “Get me out of here! Help!”_ **

**_“The only way out is forward.”_ **

**_Peter didn’t listen. He continued to bang on the door until he exhausted himself and his hands bled. He collapsed to the floor, shaking. What the hell kind of prison was this? He took a shuddering breath and stood. There had to be way. There had to be a way other than killing. Peter had always believed that and he wasn’t going to change now. He pushed forward back towards the room, hands trembling as he anticipated the fight ahead. He was smart. He could figure this out._ **

[][][]

            Peter was sprawled on the couch, reading science journals on his phone. He grunted when someone threw themselves on his back. The brush of scarred lips and the familiar weight alerted Peter to who it was. Grinning, he flipped over as he pushed up on Wade.

            “What are you doing?”

            “Getting me some snuggle time. I haven’t seen you in forever!”

            “Wade, you saw me last night.”

            “Which every second stretched into eternity while I was waiting to see your beautiful eyes and delicious butt.”

            “Oh, God,” Clint groaned from where he was sitting. “You two are disgusting.”

            Peter gave a light laugh. Laughter had been rare around him lately, but if anyone could get him giggling it would be Wade. He leaned up and kissed the man on the lips before slipping out from under him. The last thing they both needed was Tony catching them. Wade dropped down in his place, striking a pose. “Draw me like one of your French girls?”

            Clint stood with a huff. “That meme is fucking dated.”

            “No, it’s not!”

            “It is now since you used it.”

            “Petey! Tell Bird-Brain to stop being mean to me.”

            Peter shook his head and headed into the kitchen. “You are on your own.”

            Wade spluttered in mock shock while Clint smirked. Peter fixed himself a glass of water and was sipping on it when Wade came in, arms crossed over his chest. “You are supposed to defend me, baby.”

            “You are big boy.”

            The other man smirked wolfishly. “Yeah, you know exactly how big of a boy I am.”

            “Oh, my God!” Clint yelled from the other room. He appeared in the kitchen in the next second. “You two have had sex? I’m telling Tony.”

            Peter’s eyes widened in alarm. “No!”

            Clint took off at a mad dash for the stairs that went down to Tony’s private labs. Peter was hot on his heels with Wade right behind him. They stumbled down the stair well, the archer proving to be much more agile and quick than Peter anticipated. They all tumbled through the door going into Tony’s lab, falling on one another. Peter glanced up and saw Tony, Steve, and Bruce standing around.

            “Tony! They are having sex!” Clint managed under the weight of both Peter and Wade.

            “No! We aren’t! I swear.”

            “You shouldn’t swear, Baby. Especially when you are lying¾ Humph!”

            “Shut up and get off of me,” Peter growled, elbowing the man in the ribs. Once Wade was up, Peter stood and glowered at the archer, refusing to help him up. Tony looked done with the situation, Steve just looked a mix between amused and stern, and Bruce just grinned.

            “They were being gross in the main room.”

            “Stop trying to start shit,” Peter snapped.

            Clint just smirked, genuinely amused by the turn of events until Tony set down his tools. “Everyone out. Peter, you stay.”

            Steve walked over to Wade and Clint, grabbing both men by the arms and escorting them out of the labs. Peter imagined that Steve was about to have a stern talk with both of them. Bruce gathered his materials and nodded to Peter as he followed them out. Peter turned to Tony.

            “Tony, Clint was just messing around. Me and Wade weren’t doing anything.”

            “Are you having sex with him?”

            Peter flushed at that. “Well…”

            Tony sighed. “Come sit.” They sat on stools across from one another.

Peter bit the inside of his cheek before saying, “Once. We had sex once. Look, Tony, I know…”

“What is it that you see in him, Peter? Why him? I’ve tried understanding. Let him in the tower but I just don’t get it. Of all people on this planet why Wade Wilson? Just explain it to me?”

            “How can I explain it to you, Tony? When I’m with him… I love him. I can’t begin to find all the right words. He’s funny and fun to be around. I know that he’d die for me. He gives me hope and feels like home.” Peter laughed at that, happiness swelling in chest the more he talked about Wade. He couldn’t explain it but he knew everything he said was true. “I love him, Tony. I love him so much; I feel like my chest might burst from how much I adore him… I loved Gwen. I felt horrible when I started having feelings for Wade. But this isn’t the same. What I felt for her verses what I feel for him is so different. She was my first and I honestly believe that Wade will be my last.”

            Tony looked shocked like he hadn’t been expecting that answer. Peter scrubbed at the tears as his godfather responded. “I’m sorry, Peter. I don’t give you enough credit. I still see you as a kid. I forget that you have experienced already so much of what life has to offer. I trust you. If you say Wade is good, then I’ll believe you…and he’s always welcomed in the tower.”

            Peter grunted as Tony pulled him into a rough hug. He felt something settle in him. “Thank you, Tony.”

[][][]

**_“Hey, Honey. Long time, no see.” The woman, Tina as she had introduced herself, said as she smirked at him. “I can’t wait to get to play with you.”_ **

**_Peter glared from where he had been strapped to a chair. He had encountered the woman and her team. He ran for what felt like days before he was captured and brought here. He had found a way outside but the city was empty and bleak. It was completely unnerving. “I’m not.”_ **

**_She tsked. “You are interesting, kid. You know that?”_ **

**_“I try my best.”_ **

**_The woman smirked. “I got a surprise for you. Found him looking for you.”_ **

**_His heart dropped as he watched two men drag Wade into the room. Their eyes met and Wade renewed his efforts of fighting, but with the help of the woman, they managed to shackle his arms over his head and chain his feet to the floor. Peter tensed in his chair, frustrated that his powers weren’t working._ **

**_“Let’s begin, shall we?”_ **

**_“No! Wade!” Peter yelled as the woman drew out a knife._ **

**_“Don’t worry, honey. It’s not like he can die.”_ **

**_There was no way. This couldn’t be happening. This can’t be real. “Wade, say something!”_ **

**_“It’s okay, Peter. I love you.”_ **

**_Peter blinked at the man before him. They hadn’t gotten that far in their relationship. Wade wouldn’t have said it here. Wade’s scream cut off his thoughts and Peter’s eyes widened in horror as she began. Peter looked away, squeezing his eyes shut._ **

**_“No. This isn’t real._** This isn’t real ** _. This isn’t real!”_**

**_“Oh, it’s real, darling.” Tina laughed as she approached him. “It’s very real.”_ **

**_“No!” Peter roared. “Get out of my head!_ ** **Get out of my head! _”_**

**_Wade vanished suddenly and Tina pouted. “Damn. What a shame.”_ **

**_Peter’s heart was racing but he heaved a sigh of relief. He let his head fall back as he tried to catch his breath. “Do anything you want to me. Just leave my people out of this.”_ **

**_Sniegoski stepped into the room in a full suit and with a curious look on his face. “Release him.”_ **

**_Tina looked ready to argue before she finally huffed and moved towards Peter. “Don’t do anything stupid,” she warned as his binds came loose and forced him to stand on shaky legs._ **

**_He glared at Sniegoski, wondering what was going to happen next. Seeing Wade…It had surprised him. Shaken him._ **

**_“Follow me, Peter.”_ **

**_He hesitated but he knew that he was going whether he wanted to or not and he’d rather have freedom of movement than be restrained again. So he fell into step next to Sniegoski, his guards following him. He was lead through a door, heavy oak with intricate designs carved into the dark surface. It was a study of sorts, lined with books and shelves of accomplishments. He was led over to a table in front of a large fireplace. He eyed the chess board warily._ **

**_“Have a seat, Peter. Do you play chess?”_ **

**_“I use to…with my uncle.” Peter supplied as he sat in the comfortable chair, his mind reeling at the change of pace. He’d been running for his life just hours ago, but now he was in a nice room by a warm fire. It was far too strange._ **

**_“Ah. Benjamin Parker. Died three years ago at the hands of a common criminal. You were present, correct?”_ **

**_Peter’s jaw clenched. “Yeah.”_ **

**_Sniegoski made the first move, shifting a pawn forward. Peter frowned, wondering how he should play. He decided to go defensively. He moved his pawn forward directly in front of his opponent’s pawn._ **

**_The man hummed in thought. “Who was next? The good Captain Stacy.” A knight moved into position. Peter pushed forward another pawn._ **

**_“And then the bright and beautiful Gwen Stacy. Your love.”_ **

**_Peter swallowed hard. “What of it?”_ **

**_The knight moved again. Closer. Peter captured the knight with his queen before meeting Sniegoski’s dark gaze. “You have suffered much loss. So many deaths that were a creation of your own design. If not directly.”_ **

**_“I didn’t kill them.”_ **

**_“But you carry the guilt of one who did.” The other knight was moved. Peter captured a pawn with his queen, still clear._ **

**_“So? What is your point to this, Sniegoski?”_ **

**_“I enjoy a good game. That is all.” Another pawn was moved into place._ **

**_He returned his queen back to her position next to the king. “This is just a game to you? You are sick.”_ **

**_“Oh. I am fully aware.”_ **

**_Peter’s temper snapped. He stood, the chair falling over but before he could launch himself at the man hands grabbed him and shoved him to the floor, coming far too close to landing in the fire. His arms screamed in protest as they were twisted tight behind his back. He struggled for only a moment before settling, feeling weak and dizzy._ **

[][][]

            He knew that bad days were ahead of him. Peter’s moods fluctuated constantly.  One moment he was fine, the next he felt jittery and jumpy, and the next he just felt anger. It was frustrating the way little things would get on his nerves or how it was just a chore to get out of bed that morning. When the others began talking about putting on a party for New Year’s Eve, he felt apprehensive. From the way they talked it sounded like they were going to have an array of guests coming to the tower. It made him nervous because he was unsure of how he would do around others. Maybe he could just hideout in his room.

            With the party in a few days, Peter was holed up in his room as he watched Netflix shows. His chest had been feeling tight since he’d woken that morning; his stomach churning uneasily. He was on the verge of busting into tears. It took everything he had not to. He had been hanging out with Darcy and Flash, but when he had to blink away tears at an offhanded comment, he pulled himself away. He made up a flimsy excuse about going to take a nap and left as quickly as he could. His heart was aching for something and he wasn’t even sure what it was.

            His phone buzzed and he saw a text from Wade.

            **{ETA: 5 min}**

            Peter shook his head and got out of bed to go to the bathroom. He brushed his teeth and washed his face, hoping it would make him feel better. He headed out to the living room just in time to meet Wade as he stepped off the elevator. He was in full suit but removed the mask as he made his way over to Peter. Wade pulled him into a hug, pecking his temple.

            “How are you, baby?”

            Peter shrugged, not bothering to lie to Wade.

            The man’s expression softened. “That bad, huh?”

            “It’s alright. I’m managing.”

            “You need to talk about it?”

            “No, I’m okay.”

            Wade gave him a long look like he didn’t quite believe him. Peter went on, “Why are you here?”

            “I wish I could say it’s just to see your beautiful face but that’s not the only reason.”

            Peter frowned. “What’s happened?”

            Wade seemed to hesitate, his eyes rolling in a way that told Peter that he was listening to his voices. “Tell them to shut up and tell me the truth,” Peter said automatically.

            “They are debating over the best way to tell you.”

            “Just give it me straight.”

            “Coulson contacted me. SHIELD has a lead on Sniegoski and he wants me to lead the operation.”

            “No,” Peter said immediately without thinking, panic rising. “You can’t. Tell him no.”

            “Baby, it’s important. I’ll have to leave for a few days, but I should be back by New Years. We don’t even expect to find him. It’s just a lead on some of his potential benefactors.”

            “Th-then let me go with you.”

            Wade blinked in surprise. “Baby, you know you…”

            Peter tensed, his heart going cold. “What, Wade?”

            “I just don’t think that it’s a good idea…with everything that’s going on…”

            He felt a flare of anger. “Everything that’s going on? Say it, Wade. You don’t think I can handle it.”

            “Well, can you?” Wade snapped back.

            Peter flinched, ignoring Wade’s regretful expression. “Right…I’m damaged goods, right? I can’t even put on my damn suit without panicking.”

            “Baby boy, I didn’t mean it like that.”

            Peter swallowed hard, mixed emotions felt like they were choking him. “Yeah. Whatever. Go. Don’t listen to me.”

            Wade grimaced at the bite in Peter’s voice. “Don’t be that way, baby.”

            “How am I supposed to react, Wade!” Peter snapped, flushing as Tony, Clint and Steve walked in. “I guess we aren’t doing this together after all. Just go. It’s what you want to do.”

            Peter stalked off, feeling like he was being abandoned and he couldn’t explain _why._ He stepped into his bedroom, feeling so out of place. His mind couldn’t stop. He kept thinking about the way Wade was tied up and his pain filled screams echoed off the cold steel walls. The reeling thoughts were driving him absolutely insane. A knock snapped him out of his thoughts, and he turned to see Tony standing there.

            “What was that about?”

            “What did it look like?” Peter bit out with more venom than he intended.

            “Peter…”

            “I don’t want to talk about it. Just leave me alone.”

            “I -”

            “I want to be left alone. Just get out.” Peter flopped down on his bed and turned his computer back on to pick up where he left off. Maybe watching something would distract him from the turmoil of emotions.

[][][]

             Peter felt like shit for a number of reasons. He just wanted it to stop. He just wanted to feel happy again. To smile and it feel natural and genuine. He didn’t want to feel so broken.

            At some point he drifted off to sleep. He sat straight up out of that sleep, feeling like something was off in the tower. It seemed too quiet.

            “JARVIS?”

            “Yes, Mr. Parker?”

            “Is…Is everything okay in the tower?” More often than not, Peter woke in the middle of the night asking that question in hopes to soothe his nerves.

            “The tower is safe. Sargent Barnes is suffering another nightmare. Captain Rogers is having trouble.”

            Peter was out of the bed and down the hall before he could stop himself. The door opened at his request, and he hurried in to see Steve get knocked to the floor by Bucky who was obviously fighting some kind of night terror. Peter was across the room and struggling with Bucky so he didn’t hurt himself or anyone else. He managed to slip behind him on the bed, grabbing both arms and pulling them tight over his chest with surprising ease.

            “It’s me. Peter. Bucky, you are okay. You are safe.”

            Steve was in front of them, his face pinched with a tired expression of worry. He was talking to Bucky until the man slumped against Peter. The sound of their heavy breathing filled the room. Bucky was trembling but Peter wasn’t doing much better. He could feel his own hands shake as he let Bucky pull away. Then he noticed that Steve was bleeding from a cut on his forehead. Peter stood wordlessly to go to the bathroom where he retrieved the first aid kit and a damp rag. He returned to the room. Bucky was curled in on himself and Steve looked a little lost. The super-soldier jumped when Peter touched his shoulder.

            He set the kit down and slowly reached for Steve. He dabbed the blood away from his temple and forehead, careful of the wound. Peter put medicine on it and a gauze strip. A normal person probably would need stitches, but Peter was positive that Steve would be healed by morning.

            “Thank you,” the man said softly, standing once Peter was done.

            Peter just shrugged, glancing at Bucky who was curled on the bed with his forehead pressed to his knees. Steve asked, “How did you know?”

            “I don’t know. I just sensed something wasn’t right. It woke me up.”

            Steve frowned for a moment before nodding. “Thank you for the help.”

            “I…I’ll leave you guys alone.” Peter made to leave, but Steve grabbed his hand.

            “Stay.”

            Peter frowned in confusion and Steve explained, “Why don’t you sleep in here. I know you aren’t sleeping well either.”

            Peter actually found himself agreeing because going back to his room just didn’t sit well with him. Before he would have found it weird to share a bed with a couple, but that couple being Steve and Bucky didn’t seem so odd.

            Bucky looked up at them. “Stay.” That was all Peter needed before he was slipping into the bed next to Bucky. Steve got in on the other side. The bed was a queen, but with two super-soldier they shuffled to their sides with Bucky against Peter’s back and Steve behind him. His metal arm hesitantly came to drape across his middle. Peter sighed and wove his fingers through Bucky’s.

            “I’m not scared,” he said as Steve turned on the TV and began scanning for a show.

            “I could hurt you while you sleep.”

            Peter scoffed. “Trust me. There’s nothing you can do to me that I haven’t already experienced worse.”

            Bucky’s hold tightened and Peter felt another hand come to stroke his hair. “We’re here for you,” Steve said.

            “I know.” He looked at the screen. “Let’s watch _Golden Girls_.” If the reason he wanted to watch it had anything to do with the sitcom being Wade’s favorite show, well, they didn’t need to know that. They laid in silence through a few episodes. Sometimes the two men would snort at something that happened on the screen but Peter’s head was reeling.

            “What’s wrong?” Bucky finally asked.

            Peter didn’t say anything for a moment, but he sighed. “I’m worried about Wade.”

            “Why?” Steve asked.

            “What if I knew something that could get Wade hurt because I didn’t say anything?”

            “Do you?”

            Peter shifted until he was on his back and looking at the other two. “Maybe? Just what happened, I haven’t talked about it with anyone yet and I just feel like I let Wade go in blind.”

            “Peter,” Steve said, leaning over Bucky who was watching him with dark eyes. “Wade is a skilled individual. He can take care of himself. Anything that might, and that is a huge might, happen to him, will not be your fault.”

            “They tortured him in front of me,” he admitted softly. Both men tensed.

            “I can promise you Wade was safe with us the entire time. If he wasn’t in the Tower, he was out with Daredevil searching the city for you.”

            “We had a fight right before he left.”

            “We know.”

            “If something happens to him…”

            “Nothing will happen,” Bucky answered. “He’ll be home before you know it.”

            “Knowing that boy, he’s already forgiven you for any harsh words you might have said... And what happened, it might not have been mind control or whatever but it was real. Your feelings are valid.”

            Peter fell silent, looking at the TV and thinking about how this one was Wade’s favorite. “Thank you.”

            “We are here for you.”

[][][]

            With a few more days until New Years, Darcy insisted on having a movie night. They were crammed into the living room. They were watching a stereotypical superhero movie, Clint complaining the entire time. It was mundane but Peter kept thinking about Wade. The late night talk, he had with Steve and Bucky helped somewhat but those doubts started creeping back in. Peter hadn’t heard from the man and he didn’t believe he would until Wade finished the mission. It wasn’t that he was worried about Wade dying. Peter was worried about Wade getting hurt, feeling pain. Peter didn’t want the other man to hurt for the rest of his life, however long that might be. Regret settled like a heavy rock in the pit of his stomach as he realized that he let Wade go off on a mission without telling him the whole story. What if something Peter withheld because he was too afraid of the others knowing the grisly details got one of them hurt. If something happened to Wade, he would never forgive himself.

Peter felt himself starting to get worked up so he stood and headed into the kitchen to find something to do. Pouring himself a glass of water, his hands quivered slightly. He was fine one moment and then…He wasn’t sure what really happened. There was a small noise. A footstep. If not for Peter’s sensitive hearing it would have been missed. The noise, as innocent as it was, held a more sinister meaning for Peter. He was by the sink one second and on top of the cabinets the next, cramming himself into the tight space between the top shelf and the ceiling. He barely recognized the gasp of surprise, but Steve’s worried shout halted Peter’s next move. He blinked, his chest heaving frantically, and he realized he was in the kitchen of the Avenger’s tower. He wasn’t in the endless maze of rooms and hallways or a desolate city, running for his life.

            “Shit,” he hissed at himself as embarrassment began to creep in his chest. He looked down and saw Bucky standing stock still as Steve and Tony hurried into the room. Shifting a bit, he could see the movie was paused and everyone looking on worriedly.

            “What happened?”

            “I startled Peter,” Bucky answered simply, watching Peter with an odd look on his face.

            The men looked at him and Sam edged into the space. “Peter, why don’t you come down?”

            Peter tried to move but his muscles were locked up. It was almost as if he was still in flight mode. He didn’t want to drop down yet. As long as no one moved to get up here, Peter felt safe. Peter always felt safe up high or moving. His words got lodged in his throat so he just settled for shaking his head. At least his breathing was evening out.

            “That’s okay, Peter. You stay up there until you feel safe enough to come down.” Sam pulled up the stool and sat down right below him. “Did you have a flash back, Peter?”

            He thought about it for a moment before nodding. “Y-yeah,” he croaked out.

            “What triggered it?”

            “I heard someone coming up behind me.”

            “What were you thinking?”

            Peter found himself relaxing again as Sam kept him engaged in conversation. “I was thinking that I needed to run…hide.”

            Sam seemed confused by the response but he didn’t press Peter on it. “How are you feeling now?”

            “I’m calming down.”

            “Good. Take all the time you need.”

            Peter glanced at Tony, Steve and Bucky. They were giving him distance, but Peter could tell that Tony was wanting to get involved. Sighing heavily, Peter steeled himself and climbed down from the cabinets. He realized that he had dropped his glass from the sight of water and broken glass on the floor. Sam stood slowly, his shoes crunching on the shards.

            “Careful,” he said as he held out a hand. Peter hesitated before taking the grip and jumping down over the mess. He fidgeted as he glanced at Tony. His godfather took a cautious step forward and held his arms open invitingly. Peter felt like he was moving in jerky movements, but he stepped forward into the man’s hold. The contact helped soothe his frayed nerves.

            Eventually they pulled away and Tony said, “Are you okay?”

            “Better…A bit embarrassed.”

            “Don’t be. We understand.”

            “Yeah, I know.”

            Natasha came into the kitchen, careful to stay within Peter’s line of sight. She ran a gentle hand through his hair. “Your hair has gotten quite long, _solnyshko_ ,” she said, finishing the sentence with a Russian sounding word. Tony shot her an incredulous look that almost made Peter laugh.

            “Uh, yeah. Aunt May usually trims my hair but…you know.” Peter wasn’t sure how to feel about the change in conversation. Natasha never did or say anything didn’t have motive of some kind behind it but she was right. He had to admit it was getting long. The strands were flopping into his eyes and scratching at his neck. His hair had been a struggle to manage before but now it was impossible. It was becoming a hassle.

            “Would you like for me to cut it for you?”

            “You can cut hair? Of course you can.” He gave her a long look, considering what just happened, before nodding. “Sure. Why not.”

            She inclined her head with a small smile and motioned for him to follow her. Silently Peter trailed after the red haired assassin away from the worried gazes. Tony looked ready to protest, but Natasha shot him a dark look that had his godfather clamping his mouth shut.

He was led into her bathroom, away from the kitchen and people. Peter felt himself relaxing as they were cut off from the others. The bathroom was spacious, larger than the one he was currently sharing with Bucky and Steve. She sat him down at her vanity and draped a towel around his shoulders. Peter felt himself tense as he saw her pick up the scissors after having combed his hair, his nerves fragile from his earlier experience.

            “You’ll come back from this, Peter.”

            His eyes met hers in the mirror. He didn’t respond, but then again she might not have been expecting him to. She went right on talking as she began cutting. “You are much stronger than you believe. I know you are, _solnshko_.”

            “It doesn’t feel like it.” His anxiety was spiking again as the scissors moved around his head. Maybe this was a bad idea.

            “I know it doesn’t, but you will one day see. We all see it. The way your eyes light up like a fire hotter than the earth’s core. I see the way you raise your chin when confronted with a threat. Your first instinct is to fight, not run. Even now. After everything you’ve been through.”

            Peter snorted but it wasn’t humorous. “How can you say that to me? Surely you’ve been through worst.”

            She was silent for a moment as she snipped at his hair. “Perhaps but I was also raised in it. I was trained to handle hostage and torture situations. Clint, Sam, Bucky, Steve…They are no different. We were all trained to be good little soldiers for our superiors. Our lives cannot be compared to each other. We all have different life experiences. Everyone has to walk through their own version of hell. Doesn’t make your experience any less important than mine.”

            Peter was stunned into silence but he didn’t have time to dwell on it because she brushed out his hair and removed the towel. “All done. How did I do?”

            He ran a hand through his hair, it was significantly shorter, sticking up at awkward angles like it once had. “This is good. Thank you.”

            She patted his arm. “Also go running with the boys in the morning. You’ve been slacking off and it’ll do you good. You’ll get there, Peter. Maybe sooner than you believe.”

            With that she strutted out of the bathroom to leave him alone with his thoughts. Peter swallowed hard. What happened just a few minutes ago was a clear sign that not everything was okay. He felt like he was slowly loosing grip. If he could just hold on a little longer then maybe he can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

[][][]

            Peter managed to drag himself out of bed, knowing full well that Natasha would come find him if he didn’t go running with the others. So he pulled on some sweats and a hoodie, and went in search for Steve. He found them in the kitchen, talking quietly amongst themselves while the rest of the tower slept. They paused when Peter appeared. He flashed them an awkward smile.

            “Mind if I join you guys?”

            “We’d love to have you,” Steve said without hesitation.

            They headed out into the cold morning air and took off. Peter took up his old position next to Sam even though he didn’t have to hide any longer. They ran for a few miles before him and Sam took a water break while Bucky and Steve ran another lap around the park.

            “Say,” Sam suddenly said after a large swig of water. “Are you faster than those meat heads?”

            Peter watched the super-soldiers circle back around. “I don’t know about faster, but I can match them for sure.”

            “Do you think you can do it carrying a full grown man on your back?”

            Peter’s eyes darted back to Sam. “I should be able to…Why do I feel like this is going somewhere?”

            “How do you feel about piggy backing me pass them?”

            Peter thought about it for a moment and then shrugged because why the hell not. “Sure let’s do it.”

            It was a bit awkward timing it and actually getting Sam on his back. Peter was smaller than Sam but he could hold him up easily. They managed though to get situated just after Steve and Bucky ran pass them. Peter pushed off with all his strength to catch up to the super soldiers. Sam yelped at the sudden burst of speed, clinging tighter to Peter’s shoulders. Peter ran harder, coming up beside the two men. The looks of shock on their faces almost made Peter trip, laughing.

            “On your left, fuckers!” Sam cackled as Peter leaped forward, out running the super-soldiers. His blood was pumping and he got lost in the way the energy pulsed through him. He felt like he could run forever. Sam’s voice broke through the trance, “Shit. They are booking it now.”

            Peter slowed down to let Sam down and before he knew it he was in a foot race against Steve and Bucky. Peter felt like he was flying. Far too often he held back, even when running. He could feel the pavement crack when he pushed off too hard in some places. It felt good to push his limits for once. Neither Steve nor Bucky pulled ahead of him. They stayed pretty evenly matched except for when Peter would leap, putting him in the head for a few seconds before the other two men caught up. The movement, the burning muscles, the rush of wind in and out of his lungs, lulled him into a sort of trance. Peter wasn’t sure for how long they ran, but it felt like forever before Steve and Bucky finally called it. He frowned as they all came to a stop next to Sam. Steve and Bucky were breathing heavy for once, but Peter didn’t feel winded. His frown deepened even further.

            “That was incredible,” Sam was saying. “Who knew you packed so much speed, kid!”

            Steve laughed. “Now that was fun. We’ll have to test those limits one day…Peter? Are you okay?”

            Peter snapped out of his thoughts to look at the super-soldier. “Y-yeah. I’m fine.” Too fine. He knew his body. He should be out of breath and working up a sweat at the least. He should feel tired. Something. Anything but he felt fine. He could keep going. He thought back to his time with Sniegoski. He’d done so much running but that had all been in his mind. It shouldn’t have affected his body…right?

            He plastered on a smile because now the men were looking at him worriedly. “That felt great. We should definitely do that again.”

[][][]

**_Turns out, he wouldn’t figure out a way out. Peter ‘died’ again and again as he tried desperately to figure out a way around the others. Each time the death was a painful experience. He couldn’t understand it. Why him? Why was he singled out and made to go through this? He woke sobbing each time and pieces that made him human breaking each time. Then after countless times of going through this, he woke and he hadn’t been crying. Something switched gears in his head. He was in pure survival mode as he fought the man again. He didn’t want to die again. He couldn’t do it. He wouldn’t do it. The man died at his feet, Peter’s heart hammering in his chest. The door on the other side of the room swung open and Peter didn’t know how to feel. He stepped out of the room into another hallway. Peter didn’t know how long he wondered for. Eventually he found himself outside, the city around him bleak and crumbling. He visited his old home and the tower. Both empty and lacked anything useful. It was on the street in front of his high school where he was greeted with the strong woman._ **

**_“Hello, Spidey, we haven’t been properly introduced. My name is Tina. We are about to get to know each other really well.” She sneered at him before effectively capturing him and doing whatever she wanted to him that is until Sniegoski intervened, releasing him again._ **

**_So began the cycle. Peter fought superhumans and civilians with guns and knives. He lost count of the number of times he ‘died’ and started at the beginning. It became easier to take the life of a superhuman than a civilian, even if they looked like a bank robber and had a gun pointed at his head. He ran and ran and ran to avoid confrontation as much as possible. He survived on scrapes he found, took risks to step out into the open, only to return to hiding before he could be found. He knew he would be because at this point he was fully aware that this all a mind game. Peter knew that he couldn’t win. His body and mind began to change. He could go longer and fight more efficiently. He became faster and stronger through his trials. Peter thought when the trial came to an end it would be a feeling of relief. Instead he felt fear, dread, and horror as he walked through the last door. There was no fight here._ **

**_Peter looked at himself through a mirror. He saw his form, dressed in a Spider-Man suit, very different from his own now. He stood over the bodies of the Avengers. Their eyes lifeless and the blood drained from their faces. This was Peter’s future. He would kill the Avengers and that would be the end of it. There would be no going back for him. He would become something else. Peter could see it in his eyes, in their intense cold stare._ **

**_Sniegoski appeared, looking casual in a suit minus the jacket and the vest unbuttoned. “Come for a walk with me, Peter.”_ **

**_Peter considered lunging at the man and killing him, but he managed to catch himself. It would only be fruitless. He fell into step beside the man._ **

**_“Why do this? Any of this?”_ **

**_They stepped through a door that led them into a beautiful garden. Peter had never seen anything like it. The soft sandy path was a welcomed relief to his sore bare feet. The sun felt warm against his skin. The sound of running water and birds chirping felt peaceful and yet a harsh contrast to what Peter had just went through._ **

**_Sniegoski finally responded, “Do you know the definition of insanity, Peter?_ **

**_“It’s to do the same thing over and over and expect a different outcome.”_ **

**_“Exactly! History doesn’t repeat itself but it does like to rhyme. Evil and Good’s endless struggle for dominance can be seen again and again.”_ **

**_“So what? Is this some sick game to you? Like you are fulfilling some prophecy?”_ **

**_The man laughed lightly. “Oh no. Not at all. Humans will always fight. There is no such thing as peace. There never will be. I know one day I will fall from my glory, but so will the Avengers. The universe will cycle and the wheel of time will turn. I will pay for my sins, but so will you, Peter.”_ **

**_The scene changed before Peter. They were no longer in a beautiful garden but on top of building overlooking a city on fire. Peter could hear the screaming, see the destruction. Helicopters zipped pass them as people rushed on the street below. People chased others below them, using insane strength and speed. Peter swallowed hard as he watched the scene unfold._ **

**_“Void… The drug you had created it wasn’t just to make money but do this? Why do this?”_ **

**_“Void does nothing more than unleash what already exists in every living individual.”_ **

**_“They make people go crazy. That isn’t natural.”_ **

**_“But it is. Violence is innate. See. The universe is out of balance. It’s in limbo.”_ **

**_Peter gaped at the man who looked so calmly onto the world before him. “You want to create this…chaos to put the universe in balance?” Peter’s frown deepened. “Why?”_ **

**_“You are meant for greater things, Peter. You are meant for so much more. I’m just here to show you your real potential.”_ **

**_“My real potential?” Peter exploded. “You had me kill and kill! What kind of training is that?”_ **

**_“I had to break you. Break you on the one thing that you will not budge on. You’ll be better because of what happens here.”_ **

**_Peter bit out, “Fuck you.”_ **

**_“I do not want to destroy you, Peter. I only want to help reach your fullest potential.”_ **

**_“_ ** **Fuck. You.”**

**_“That’s good. Anger, hate, is so much more powerful. You have always been so full of both. You just do not see it.”_**

**_“That’s…That’s not true.”_ **

**_“But it is. You are just too afraid to really look at yourself. Look at yourself, Peter, and what do you see?”_ **

**_The scene changed and Peter was looking at himself again but the Peter he was now. He was wearing a blood splattered t-shirt and clothe pants. His feet were bare and his shoulders tense. His face was covered in bruises and his hair was flat for once, lank from days of going unwashed. He even had scruff growing along his jaw. Those things were not the most startling changes. No. It was the look in his eyes. They looked wild, flicking around him. There was fear but also something else. Something much darker._ **

**_“Ready for your next trial, Peter?” Sniegoski asked._ **

**_“I’m not playing by your rules anymore, Sniegoski! I won’t!”_ **

**_“We’ll see about that.”_ **

**_The scene changed. Peter swallowed hard as he looked around him. A single light cut through the darkness. Peter felt his stomach give a nervous flip when he realized that he was strapped to a chair again. Tina stepped into the room, the smirk gone from her face._ **

**_“Your mate killed mine.”_ **

**_Peter gritted his teeth. “No one was supposed to die.”_ **

**_He grunted as she lashed out, slapping his face. “If it was up to me, I’d have you dead so I can string up your lifeless corpse right in front your boyfriend’s face so he can live the rest of his miserable life knowing he was reason you died.”_ **

**_She circled him, constantly moving behind him so he couldn’t keep his eyes on her. “But I won’t kill you. Boss has other plans. You managed to survive his first trial.”_ **

**_“Survive? This is all in my head.”_ **

**_Her head tilted back as she laughed. “Honey, he puts all his potential weapons through this. Only the strongest survive. Most die during their first trials. The stress of the situation causes their hearts to explode.”_ **

**_She stepped away to pick up a blade. Peter tensed, pulling helplessly at his binds. She settled him with a cold look. “Let’s see how much it will take to break you.”_ **

[][][]

            Wade returned the day before New Year’s. They had decided to celebrate amongst themselves. Normally Tony threw a large party but this year was the exception. So they were gathered in the main living area, food scattered across the tables and music playing in the background. Currently Steve, Sam, Darcy, and Clint were playing video games, laughing and cutting up. Peter tried to relax. Darcy had slipped him some kind of drink that burned on the way down but it did nothing to sooth him. Eventually he abandoned the glass by the sink to fidget with a water bottle.

            The elevator dinged and opened up to reveal Wade in a dress shirt and pants. Peter was taken aback by the nice clothes… and the bouquet of flowers. A big bouquet of white and red roses. Peter froze as Wade strutted over to him.

            “It’s been a long couple of days.”

            Peter felt his shoulders droop. “Yeah. It has been.”

            “I hated leaving knowing you were angry at me.” Wade held out the bouquet and Peter carefully accepted them. “I’m not too big of a man to admit when I was wrong. I know I’m a fuck up and I may never get my shit together. I’m sorry I hurt you.”

            Peter set the flowers down on the table before throwing himself at Wade. He wrapped his arms around the taller man and slotted his mouth over the scarred lips. Wade’s arms came to circle around his waist, pulling him closer. He hugged Wade close, taking in his scent and drowning in his warmth. The man chuckled.

            “I’m guessing I’m forgiven.”

            Peter took a step back. “There is nothing to be forgiven… I’m sorry too.”

            Wade frowned. “Sorry for what?”

            “I got mad at you, but I didn’t tell you why. I was too scared to tell you why. It wasn’t fair to you.”

            Wade reached out to run his fingers over the bullet pendant that had found a home around Peter’s neck. “Baby, I understand.”

            Peter jerked back, causing Wade to pull away quickly before halting his movements. There was a beat of silence and only then did Peter realize that their conversation was no longer private. It probably hadn’t been since it began. “You don’t,” Peter answered softly. “Sni¾ He tortured you in front of me.”

            “I…Peter¾”

            “I…I realized while you were away my silence is putting everyone at risk.”

            Wade reached for him, moving slowly but confidently until his hands came to rest on his shoulders. “You listen to me. You haven’t done anything wrong. I’m okay. If anything, my mission ended on an upside. I managed to snag that bitch who has it out for you.”

            “Tina? Tina is in SHIELD custody?”

            “Yup.”

            Peter swallowed hard, scenes playing in his head. “I… Tell me, Wade, did you get a good hit on her?”

            “You bet the hell I did. I kicked her right in her fugly bitch face.”

            “She deserved it.” To know one of his tormentors was now imprisoned, Peter wasn’t sure how to feel.

            “What did she do?” Wade asked softly, his hands moving to take Peter’s.

            He inhaled shakily and looked around. The games and music had been paused. Tony was standing nearby with Steve not that far behind him. He swallowed hard. He didn’t want to ruin the party…again, but if he waited, he was afraid he would lose his nerve.

            Wanda made her way over to him and took his hands in hers. “You can tell us, Peter. Now is as good of a time as any.”

            He smiled weakly, knowing she knew what was going through his head. “Sam, I think it’s time that I had that talk with everyone.”

            The man’s face went slack with surprise. “Are you sure, Peter?”

            “No.”

            “You don’t have to.”

            “No, I have to. It’s the only way you will know what we are dealing with.”

            Sam seemed to study his face before nodding. “Very well.” He cleared his throat. “Me and Peter have discussed the possibility of him telling everyone what happened while he was imprisoned. How about we move to someplace more comfortable?”

            Some seemed to hesitate, like they shouldn’t be there. “Stay,” Peter said to Bruce and Flash. Both looked ready to bail but he wanted them there. One for Bruce’s expertise and two for Flash being his friend. He was a part of this as much as anyone else. Everyone settled, a seat left open between Wade and Steve on the couch. He couldn’t bring himself to sit. He paced across the center of the living room, before coming to a stop in front of the fire place. Peter looked down at his hands. He could still see the red that painted his flesh.

            He snorted bitterly. “I hate seeing my reflection. Every time I do I see blood. I see the faces of those that I’ve hurt. I see him staring back at me…And then this happens. Him and his fucking games. I suppose I’ll start at the beginning. When Sniegoski cut off the camera, he cut me from my binds, grabbed me by my hair and dragged me out of the room…”

            Peter lapsed into the story he knew he had to tell. Somehow he managed to detach himself as he stared a hole through the wall. In hindsight, he had shut down emotionally. Perhaps he was slipping into survival mode. He felt jittery and shaky as he went over every detail. From watching Wade being tortured again and again right in front him, the screams, the chess game to the trial. He described the pain he felt when he lost a fight. How he felt when he finally won. He fell into the other world. Into that reality and he hated what was there.

[][][]

            **_The cold crept into his bones and his stomach burned with hunger. The sensations from the beatings, the lashings had blended together into one solid feeling of pain. The rough cement floor offered no comfort. The darkness even less. But he was alone. If he was alone that meant, he wasn’t being hurt. He didn’t know which was worse: being forced to kill for his life and sanity or being locked in a room, routinely tortured until his spirit broke. He wondered if it hasn’t yet and this was just for fun for them._**

**_He wasn’t sure how much time had passed but he spent it thinking about his loved ones. Where were they? How were they doing? A part of him knew that they were searching for him, but then the doubt would creep in to tell him that too much time had passed. They would never find him. They surely would have given up hope at this point. Peter wouldn’t blame them. Not when he was holding on to hope was proving to be impossible for him._ **

**_The door swung open and Peter flinched at the noise but didn’t bother to move otherwise. The sound of footsteps made their way toward him, and Peter’s heart hammered away in his chest. The person moved next to him, releasing his shackles and pulling him to his feet. He came face to face with Sneigoski, and honestly Peter couldn’t say he felt anything as he stared into the man’s pale eyes._ **

**_“So close, Peter. My, my, my. You have proven to be quite the difficult case.”_ **

**_Peter didn’t respond. What was there to say at this point? He just wanted it to be over. He wanted to go home._ **

**_He was lead through the door, not surprised when it wasn’t what he expected on the other side.  He was alone and now down by the docks where he had been fighting the copycat Spider-Man and the Avengers. That had felt like a lifetime ago. He had forgotten it had even happened. He tensed as he heard a sound. Natasha stepped out of the shadows._ **

**_“Nat?” No. This wasn’t right. This was in his mind. This wasn’t his Natasha. Peter jerked back as she lashed out at him. He fended her off, realizing that it was happening again. Just this time, he was being forced to kill his friends. Peter was far too weak and exhausted to fend for himself. He knew he would last very long. Still, Peter tried defending himself. He threw up his hand to block the blow, but he was too hesitant and Natasha had drawn a blade. She went right for his throat and_ ** **_¾_ **

**_With a harsh jerk, Peter’s eyes flew open. He was in the cell, shackled to the floor. He was covered in sweat and panting hard. The pain, everything, vanished. He yanked at the chains in panic as he realized he wasn’t alone in the room. Sniegoski stood from his chair with an annoyed look on his face._ **

**_“It looks like we’ll have to break for bit, Peter. I have some business I need to attend to.”_ **

**_Peter didn’t miss the way Sniegoski looked strained as he stepped out of the room and doctors came in. He tried fighting as they approached him with needles, but his body was weakened by the drug. It would be a few hours later that the nurse would come in with an anecdote. It was just enough time for Peter to find a sliver of hope to run one last time. Peter knew he had to get out of there before it was too late. It was his only chance to free himself._ **

[][][]

            When he finished his story, Peter couldn’t bring himself to look at any of the others. He could feel the tightness in his chest and the urge to run but he somehow managed to keep his feet planted. He couldn’t bail now. He wouldn’t. He wasn’t a fan of the idea of getting cornered in his bedroom, which was where he wanted to go. However, he felt relief coiling beneath the anxiety though. Telling others what happened to him proved to be much more liberating than he had expected. He allowed himself to bask in the silence for a moment until someone spoke.

            “Peter…” Several voices said as if coming out of a trance all at once. He heard someone stand and move towards him. Peter finally looked up and saw that it was Tony.

            “Peter,” The older man’s voice broke as he pulled Peter against him. Peter clung to his godfather, relishing the soft touch of another human, the warmth and security. It began to sooth Peter’s turmoil. “My boy. My poor boy.”

            He realized with shock that Tony was crying into his shoulder, and Peter buried his face into the crook of the man’s neck as he trembled against his godfather. He pulled back after several moments.

            “You see why,” Peter began, his voice cracking. “Sniegoski was right.”

            Tony’s eyes were dark and intense, tinged red. “That man is a sick, twisted bastard, Peter.”

            He shook his head. “Perhaps… He said that no matter how this ends, I won’t be the same person I was when it all began. He’s right. I’m not.”

            “Peter, listen to me and listen well,” Tony said in a way that commanded Peter’s attention no matter how tired and fidgety he felt. “You are still the same person you were when you first moved into the tower. Sure, somethings have changed in your life, but you have _grown_ from those experiences. And you are still growing. What that monster did… He didn’t _break_ you. You are still the kind and intelligent boy who holds onto hope and sees the beauty in others. You are so strong. You bested him, Peter. You saved yourself. My God, you are amazing.”

            Peter was stunned into silence. Tony was crying openly in front of him, his brows pinched in a fierce expression as he bit out the words with so much passion that Peter couldn’t help but believe every word his godfather was saying. “I¾”

            “Say ‘yes, sir. I am amazing’.”

            “Yes, sir. I am amazing,” Peter admitted softly and looked away. Darcy and Flash had obviously been crying while everyone else looked grim or angry. Wade was next to him in the next heartbeat, drawing him into his embrace. He saw Natasha go into the kitchen from over Wade’s shoulder. Clint and Lucky followed right on her heels. Steve and Bucky had moved away from them and were talking amongst themselves. Tony stayed close as Darcy and Flash made their way to them. Wade didn’t let him go, not completely as Darcy fussed over him and Flash hugged him. It felt surreal and strange to Peter. He didn’t want to be showered in affection but he wasn’t about to complain. He had a feeling that none of the others would have any of it and ignore him anyway.

            “You know what I think we need,” Wade said, his voice muffled from where his face was pressed into Peter’s hair.

            “What is that?” Peter asked, leaning heavily on Wade. Natasha was cooking in the kitchen, having not said a word while Clint watched her like a hawk. Steve and Bucky had an arm around each other while Sam and Darcy whispered amongst themselves. Flash was petting Lucky, not straying too far from them.

            “We should make a pillow fort right here in the living room and have a great big cuddle pile.”

            “We are adults here,” Clint piped up from the kitchen.

            “Says you,” Darcy snapped back. “That is a wonderful idea, Wade.”

            “Thank you. I knew there was a reason you were my favorite.”

            Darcy shared a shaky smile. “You guys come help bring the stuff in here for the fort.”

            Wade kissed his temple before following Sam and Clint. Peter wrapped his arms around his midsection, feeling out of sorts. He felt so raw and vulnerable. He didn’t like it and wished the feeling would pass. Steve and Bucky moved towards him and, surprisingly, Peter felt the nerves in stomach unkink as they took up positions on either side of him, telling stories about their war days… about how hard it was for them to sleep at night after intense shelling and the sounds of dying men. About how normal civilized life was a strange concept to them now. Peter found he could relate.  

            They watched the living room be quickly transformed into a giant fort. Air mattresses were blown up for the base and sheets were hung strategically overhead, almost high enough that someone could stand inside. Wade grabbed Peter by the hand and dragged him inside the fort. They could still see the TV from the inside. Wade sat down among the nest of blankets and pillows, dragging Peter down so his head was in his lap. For the moment they were alone even though Peter could the hum of conversations beyond the fort’s walls. He could tell that they were quietly talking about him but he wasn’t bothered by it. Not when Wade was playing with his hair and humming something upbeat.

            “I’m tired,” Peter admitted softly.

            “Sleep. I’ll be right here.”

            “I love you, Wade.”

            “I love you too, Peter.”

[][][]

When the boy finished talking, no one knew what to say or do. Wade stayed close, humming and singing to him in the ridiculous tent. Tony could only assume that was something between the two of them. Natasha disappeared into the kitchen with Clint on her heels. Steve and the others remained silent and pondering the information they’d been given. Part of Tony wanted to ask Wanda if there was anything she could do to ease Peter’s pain, but he bit his tongue. Tony went to check on Flash but one look at the other boy’s stormy expression, Tony thought better of it.

            They all eventually gravitated towards the kitchen. Natasha spoke first as she cooked something that looked foreign to Tony. “We need to talk about this Sniegoski.”

            Wade stepped into the kitchen, his scared face sober and eyes red. “Peter asked me to kill Sniegoski. I didn’t get to ask why but now I do.”

            “He’s powerful if he can just alter reality like that.”

            “Maybe it’s magic?”

            Bruce suggested, “If it is, perhaps we can contact Dr. Strange.”

            “Or Professor X,” Wade suggested.

            “How do we stop a guy like this?” Clint asked, as he lifted himself onto the counter.

            “We don’t fully know how his powers work,” Tony growled, frustrated.

            “I’m immune to telepathy or mind control,” Wade said. “Hey, Pops, think you can develop some kind of tech that can cancel out his powers?”

            Tony frowned at Wade. “Sure. If we can figure out how they work and the source of his power. I should be able to.”

            “I can get close enough to lock him down and SHIELD can arrest him,” Wade said, surprising everyone.

            “You don’t want to kill him?” Natasha asked him sharply and mercenary scoffed.

            “Of fucking course I do. Just because Peter gave me the O.K., I’m not going to give up my no-killing policy now.”

            “How come I feel like you’ve got something else planned?” Tony asked. Honestly, Tony could kill the man. He wasn’t sure what to do with the new information he had been given but he knew he wanted to see this Sniegoski burn. 

            Wade just smirked. “Just because I won’t kill him means that I won’t hurt him.”

[][][]

            When Peter woke up, he was warm and felt safe. For once he didn’t wake in a panic. The sheets casted a dim light so it wasn’t too dark for him. He sat up, seeing Darcy and Flash asleep on a pallet next to him. Lucky stretched out on his other side. He peaked through a fold in the sheets and could see the rest of the team in the other room. He carefully stepped over his friends and through the open flap to head into the kitchen. Wade spotted him first. The man moved to gather him in a hug. Peter was grateful for the contact as he noticed Pepper having joined them.

            “How are you feeling, baby?” Wade asked.

            “I feel okay.”

            Sam cleared his throat from where he was leaning against the counter. “Peter, what you told us changes nothing in how we treat you or feel about you. We understand. We’ve all been there.”

            “Thanks, Sam.” Actually hearing that did sooth some of the worries Peter had since waking up. He didn’t want anything to change between them.

            Tony ruffled his hair. “We are all proud of you, kid.”

            Peter flushed at the praise but didn’t have to dwell on it long as Natasha set a bowl of some kind of stew in front of him. “Eat,” she commanded.

            So they all ate together in the kitchen. Eventually Darcy and Flash had stirred enough to come join them. By the time he finished eating, he felt a lot better. It was no longer his dirty secret. The people who mattered the most knew his secret and he felt like he could breathe again. He glanced at the clock and saw that it was after midnight. He’d forgotten that it was the new year.

            Pepper came over to him when Wade left his side for a moment and gave him a hug. No doubt, Tony having filled her in. He appreciated the gesture. She smiled sadly at him. “Peter, no matter what, you’ll always have home with me. You are such a bright and wonderful young man. Don’t let anyone tell you different.”

            “It’s hard, you know? I just can’t help thinking bad about myself.”

            There was a sharp noise that jolted him and his head whipped around to see Wade coming back over to them. “How can you think badly of yourself?”

            Peter grimaced. He really didn’t want to talk any longer about himself. He was still dealing with doubts about revealing too much earlier. He didn’t like how vulnerable it made him. “I’m a…I was a monster.”

            “That’s bullshit,” Wade snapped out, his expression fierce as he came to stand in front of Peter. His eyes widened as Wade grabbed him by the hand and dragged him out of the room. They ended up in his bed room, slamming the door shut before someone could decide to interrupt. “I…Let me tell you about a boy. Let me tell you about how beautiful he is. When he is in the room, he is the focus of every second of my attention because I’m afraid I might miss something. When he looks at me? My heart skips a beat and the world falls away. When I see him smile? I can’t breathe.  My God, his eyes are bright and wide, dark depths that sink into starry wonder. I can spend a lifetime waxing poetry about how beautiful his body is but…I can spend an eternity marveling how beautiful his soul is. The very soul that fell in love with a monster like me. He didn’t bat an eye at my ugly skin. He didn’t cave under my crazy personality. He didn’t give up on me like so many others have. His soul is good and pure. He is kind and gentle. He does so much for nothing in return. And he loves a crazed mercenary like me.

            “You are no monster, baby boy. Trust me. I know real monsters. You are just an angel who has gotten knocked off his path a bit. I will help you get back to where you need to be. I need my partner and I’m willing to wait for you.”

            Peter was stunned into silence. Again. He didn’t know that Wade felt like that. “You aren’t monster,” was Peter’s first response.

            Wade snorted. “See? Take a look around, Peter. Everyone out this door has thought badly of me, but you gave me a chance.”

            He flushed. “I could have bad judgement?”

            Wade answered, “that’s for sure.”

            Peter shook his head and pulled Wade into a hug. He whispered into the man’s ear, “thank you.”

            “Anytime, baby.”

            “You are my boyfriend. No monster talk.”

            “I won’t if you won’t.” Wade pulled back slightly to look in his eyes.

            “Deal.” Peter pressed a chaste kiss to his boyfriend’s lips.

            Wade suddenly grinned right before he groped his ass and said, “I like it when you talk dirty to me!”

            Peter flushed darkly and shoved at Wade. “Get away from me, jerk.”

            “Aw, don’t be like that, baby.”

            “Don’t ‘baby’ me.” Peter replied as he marched out the door. As Peter reached the living room, he was stopped short when Wade grabbed his arm and spun him around, right back into his arms. The man began humming and twirling them around. Peter flushed as he spotted grins on everyone’s faces. He was pretty sure that Darcy had her phone out, taking pictures.

            “If I’m not allowed to think badly of myself, you aren’t either,” Wade went on saying. “Because to me you carry the moon and the stars. You are the light in my life.”

            “You are my anchor, Wade.”

            Darcy squealed. “You two are so cute!”

            Wade paused, stepping away and bowing dramatically. Peter just smiled, feeling the stress of the last few hours completely unwind. For the first time in a long time he felt more like himself and he had Wade to thank for that. The man knew just how to make him smile.

            Tony managed to pull Peter aside, giving Wade a warning look. “You okay, Peter? What did he say to you?”

            Peter took a deep breath. “I’m okay, and something that I needed to hear.”

            “You don’t regret telling us, do you? I know how hard it is to open up like that.”

            “Yeah. I…I don’t like feeling vulnerable like that, but you guys needed to know. For a couple of reasons.”

            “Thank you for trusting us.”

            Peter scoffed. “I trust you guys with my life, Tony.”

            His godfather smiled sadly, brushing a gentle hand through his hair. “You are a good kid. You didn’t deserve this.”

            “Perhaps not, but there is no going back and changing it now. I knew that this would be a dangerous life. For whatever reason, I have these powers. I can’t just stand by and do nothing.”

            Tony clapped a hand on his shoulder and squeezed gently. “I know. I get it. When you are ready to put on the suit, just let me know. We’ll support you.”

            Peter felt something flutter in his chest. Excitement, maybe? Fear? Whatever emotion he felt was in response to the idea of putting on his suit. At some point his identity as Spider-Man had become an inherent part of who he was and being without it, he felt lost. Like he was missing a part of himself. He looked at his friends…no, his family. Something had changed here at some point along the way. The team was so much more than just people he happened to live with. Wade was in his element, doing everything he could unnerve Clint while Natasha smirked at Clint’s flustered state. Darcy and Sam were standing close, talking and smiling slightly. Steve and Bucky were relaxed, watching over their teammates with watchful eyes, but they leaned into one another. Bruce was engaged in a heated conversation with Pepper, who listened with a keen focus. Tony had wondered over to Flash where he was sitting on the floor with Lucky. The two were talking more and more recently. The only one missing was his aunt. He wanted to see her but with the way he was right now, Peter knew he couldn’t.

            Wade looked over at him, a big goofy grin spreading across his scarred face. Peter felt hopeful as he watched the team, and he realized that this was not the end of his journey. It wasn’t over. He was still Spider-Man but above all else, he was still Peter Parker. Sniegoski couldn’t take that away from him. He wouldn’t take that away from Peter. He would stop Sniegoski and he wouldn’t do it alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm at a lost for words. I can't believe I'm finally uploading a chapter. Its been a struggle. I have been, and am going through a lot right now. My life is changing. I got accepted into Grad school and I'll be graduating in a short few weeks...and I'm getting help for my anxiety and depression. That is why its taken so long for me to get this chapter written (and the fact that I've rewritten it five times). 
> 
> I thank everyone for their support and lovely comments. I will finish this story. It might take me some time but I will finish this project. 
> 
> Because of the issues I'm dealing with I won't be doing the estimated updates anymore. I'm hoping that the next chapter will be out within a month but I can't promise anything. 
> 
> Again thank you for your patience and I hope the wait has been worth it.


	19. Chase Away the Darkness

Peter spent the rest of his break sleeping and spending time with the tower residents. Since the night where he bared all his secrets, he felt lighter. He met with Sam several times a week to work through his issues. It got easier, being honest about his emotions and how he felt. He trusted Sam with each meeting. He started feeling braver, sharing little details with the people around him. Wade heard the most about what he was dealing with. Perhaps more than Sam, but he would tell the others tidbits like if he was having a bad day. If he had a nightmare or flashback. Bucky often found him in the middle of the night, asking him to go to the gym with him to work out or join him and Steve in their room to watch Netflix. Peter did better when he had someone next to him, touching him. It helped calm him and feel safe. It wasn’t perfect but it was getting better.

            He was working with Tony in the lab to kill time. He was trying to drag himself out of his room to do something productive at least once a day. It was helping his overall mood. Tony set down the small mechanism he was working on and walked over to Peter where he practiced the coding.

            “Hey, there is something I want to talk about with you.”

            Peter paused in his typing and looked at his godfather. “That doesn’t sound good.”

            “Just don’t reject the idea without thinking about it, alright?”

            “Okay.”

            “I think you should be homeschooled.”

            Peter blinked. “What?”

            “Just until you are more…”

            “No, I get it.” Peter swallowed hard and took a deep breath, having thought about the situation himself. He was worried about what constant exposure to large groups of people in cramped classrooms and hallways would do to him. It filled him with anxiety to have to deal with strangers and that was a new and scary feeling.

            “I just want you to know it’s an option and it’ll only be short term. You’ll still get to participate in school activities like prom and graduation.”

            Peter was silent for a moment before nodding. “Yeah, I’ll take more time. Work from the tower.”

            Tony looked relieved at Peter’s answer as he rubbed his shoulder. “Good. There is no shame in taking more time.”

[][][]

            Peter had mixed feelings as he watched Flash leave to go back to school. Part of him longed to go back just to get out of the tower, but he knew better than to push himself. He still had more bad days than good days. He tried ignoring the problems altogether, but every night he’d have trouble sleeping. He’d jerk awake at the feeling of ghostly figures threatening to consume him, and he couldn’t get back to sleep. It left him feeling tired and drained all the time. Some days it took all of his energy to pull himself out of bed. He only did so because he knew that the team members would come looking for him.

            His aunt would be home in just a few short days and to be honest he was nervous. So much has happened in the time she had been gone. Peter was painfully aware of how much he had changed. She was a perceptive woman; no doubt she would notice something was amiss. It was easy to lie over the phone but seeing each other presented a whole new set of challenges. He considered telling the truth, all of it. From the very beginning to what happened in the last few weeks. But then doubt crept in and he was terrified of how she might react. If he lost Aunt May, Peter’s entire world would crumble around him.

            He sighed as he pushed the bits of food around on his plate. Tony sat across from him with Pepper and Natasha on either side of him. With the turnover of the new year, the Avengers were off their extended “vacation”. Clint and Steve left on a mission that morning. SHIELD had taken on the Sniegoski case, which indirectly made the Avengers become involved. That made Peter’s stomach churn at the thought of the same thing happening to his friends that he had gone through. He just felt like something would go wrong. It was a feeling of dread that Peter was used to but now intensified. 

[][][]

            Peter shuffled out of his bedroom, bored with Flash being gone and members coming and going with their daily lives. He paused as he heard voices coming from the kitchen. With his sensitive hearing, he picked up on the conversation. Normally he wouldn’t eavesdrop like this, but what he picked up had him stopping to listen.

            “Does Peter know?” Steve asked, his voice pitched low.

            “No, he doesn’t.” Tony answered, sounding tired. “I don’t even know if we should tell him.”

            “If we don’t, Wade will. We can’t expect them to keep secrets from each other.”

            “Where is Wilson?”

            “Phil just called him in. He doesn’t know yet.”

            “I’m just worried that Peter would want to be involved.”

            “Can you blame him?” Steve asked. “We have the woman who helped torture him in custody, and SHIELD is planning a full fledge interrogation session today. Of course he would want to be there. I would.”

            “I know. I would too.” Tony sighed heavily.

            Peter decided to choose then to step out. His stomach twisting nervously at the prospects. “Why don’t you just ask me and let me decide?”

            Both men whipped around, startled. “Peter, we…”

            “I’m not mad. I just…You’re right. If you are interrogating Tina, I want to be there.”

            “Peter, I just don’t know if that’s the best idea,” Tony said with a pinched look.

            “Maybe it’s not but it’s what I want to do. I want to see her. Tony, I have to see her.”

            They shared a long look, like Tony was trying to see right through him, before his godfather finally nodded. “Fine. You can come. Bucky, Clint, and Natasha are already there.”

            Peter quickly went to change his clothes his hands trembling. The ride to SHIELD headquarters was a short one, but for Peter it felt like the minutes dragged on and on. He followed the two men through the hallways of SHIELD. They passed through several identity check points before being allowed admittance. Several times, agents tried to stop him, but Tony would tell them that Peter had the highest clearance out of any SHIELD agent employee. They ran into Wade along the way, who offered Peter a brief hug while his mask stayed in place. Peter appreciated it because Steve and Tony were trading enough worried looks between the two of them. He couldn’t stand it if Wade gave him the same expression. Eventually they came to a dimly lit room where Bucky, Natasha, Clint, Coulson and Fury stood with other SHIELD agents that Peter didn’t recognize.

            Clint frowned when he saw Peter. “Tony, is this really a good idea?”

            Peter crossed his arms over his chest. “I have every right to be here. I’m not leaving.”

            Steve placed a hand on his shoulder and leaned down to whisper, “those agents don’t know who you are.”

            “I don’t care.” Peter shrugged Steve off to step forward, towards the one-way mirror. There she was, strapped in some high-tech cuffs to a chair. Peter bit the inside of his cheek, something dark and almost primal stirring inside of him. “Who’s conducting the interrogation?”

            “I will be,” Natasha answered coolly, coming to stand next to him. “Got any tips for me?”

            “She won’t break for you. Sniegoski puts all of his recruits through their personal hells to test them.” He considered the woman in the room for a moment, deciding to withhold information about Eliza for the moment. “She has it out for Wade and I. Wade killed her partner. What she did to me when I was with Sniegoski, she wouldn’t know. It wasn’t actually her. Not unless Sniegoski told her, but I doubt it.”

            She hummed. “Let’s get started.”

            Peter stayed by the window as Coulson and Fury came to stand by him with Steve and Tony on his other side. He glanced at the former SHIELD director, knowing that he was well aware of Peter’s identity. He hadn’t spoken to the man in ages, but to know that it had been Fury who had gathered recruits to find him caused some unnamable emotion to stir in the pit of his stomach. When Fury didn’t say anything to him, Peter turned back to watch Natasha enter the room. Her posture was almost cat like as she stalked into the room, relaxed but thrumming with an undertone of lethal skill.

            Wade placed a firm hand on his shoulder, standing behind Peter as they watched Natasha open up dialogue with Tina. It didn’t take long for Peter to realize that she wasn’t going to get anywhere. Not without graduating to violence and Peter did not want to see Natasha become that person. The wheels in his head was turning as he watched Tina laugh at something Natasha had said. He knew how Sniegoski trained his underlings to a degree. He now understood on some level what everyone had to go through to become a moving part of Sniegoski’s operation. He didn’t doubt that Tina had gone through the same exact trials that he had. Perhaps that’s what he could use against her.

            “Peter?” Tony whispered, drawing him from his thoughts. Peter looked around to see several faces turned in his direction with worried and confused expressions. “If you need to go, no one will think less of you.”

            “No,” Peter ground out as Wade moved his palm to the small of his back. “I’m going in.”

            “What? No, Peter,” Tony hissed as he grabbed him by the arm. “Not everyone in this room knows your identity.”

            Peter settled him with a hard stare. “I don’t care, Tony.” He turned to Coulson and Fury. “Let me go in there.”

            Coulson cleared his throat. “Mr. Parker, I’m sorry, but you are not exactly the interrogating type.”

            “You don’t know what I am, Director. Or what I’m capable of. I know how to get through to her. Let me in there. What is there left to lose?”

            Coulson gave him a long look before nodding. “Very well. This is your only chance.”

            Peter took a deep breath, casting a glance at Wade and Tony before stepping through the door. A brief look of surprise flittered across Natasha’s face before she carefully masked it.

            “I’ll take it over from here, Natasha.”

            “Of course.”

            Tina smirked at him as they silently waited for Natasha to walk out. Once the door clicked behind her, Tina’s sneer widened. “Hey there, honey. Long time no see.”

            “Not long enough.”

            She pouted. “Don’t be that way, baby.”

            There was a loud bang against the wall, and Peter knew it was Wade losing his temper at the pet names. He couldn’t focus on that especially when Tina grinned like a cat with a cornered mouse.

            “Did I strike a nerve?”

            “Not with me.” Peter watched her silently for a moment before taking a seat at the table across from her.

            “I know exactly what will get you worked up. I miss our time together. I miss getting to mess with that little brain of yours. It was so much fun, getting to watch you slowly unravel.”

            Peter’s chest clenched, but he couldn’t show that he was unnerved. “You don’t scare me, Tina. I know that you didn’t actively torture me. You are just going off of whatever Sniegoski has told you.”

            She hummed loudly. “You are too smart for your own good. You know that?”

            “I’ve been told that before.”

            “If you think you are going to get anything out of me, little spider, you are sadly mistaken.”

            It was Peter’s turn to smirk, calling on all of his acting skills (or what little he did have). “I don’t care.”

            That seemed to put her off and his smile only widened as he stood, walking over to the door. He flipped the lock and gave the one way mirror a meaningful shake of his head. He then yanked the table up, a huge sturdy thing made of steel. He pivoted it just right against the door in a way he knew that the others wouldn’t be able to just bust through. He was probably breaking all sorts of rules, but he really didn’t care.

            He went on. “See, the thing is, they¾” He pointed at the door. “¾want answers. They want information. I, on the other hand, do not care. Do you know why?”

            She had lost her cocky grin. “Enlighten me?”

            “Because I already know that you don’t know anything.”

            Peter’s mind was racing as he waited for her response. When she didn’t, he knew he’d level the playing field between the two of them. “We’re the same. You know.”

            “How so?”

            “We both went through trials for Sniegoski. We both survived. We both changed because of it.”

            “We are not the same.”

            Peter laughed lightly. “Do you know why I’m not scared of you, Tina?”

            “You should be.”

            “Do you know what my first trial was?” He asked, beating around the bush.

            “Everyone’s first trial is the process of breaking them on the one thing that they will not budge on. It’s supposed to test the physical and mental to the extreme. Most die from the first trial due to the stress put on the physical through the mental strain. Sniegoski pushed you exceptionally hard.”

            “That wasn’t the question I asked. Do you know what my first trial was?”

            When he was met with silence, he continued, “I thought so. I was always under the impression that you were Sniegoski’s right hand, but it seems that I had been wrong. You are no more his right hand than I am.”

            From the stormy look that crossed her face. He smirked. “It seems I hit a nerve. Tell me, Tina, how much did you lose to become this for empty promises.”

            “You don’t know what you are talking about.”

            “I don’t?” He sat back down. “I’m not scared of you, Tina. Not anymore. You can thank Sniegoski for that. You killed me more times than I could count, but make no mistake, I killed you just as many times. My trial was to test my ability to survive and kill. I suppose I broke fairly quickly. I can still see the way the life left your eyes each time.”

            She snarled, “are you threatening me? It’s not going to work. Kill me. Go ahead.”

            “I watched you torture my partner. Watching you do those things to him, made me realize that I’d do anything for him. Including harming others. The thing is, when it came to you, I didn’t just kill you. I’d torture you before finishing you. I became quite adept at dragging out your life, keeping you on the precipice of consciousness just so I could hear you beg for death.”

            Peter watched the way the blood drained out of her face, and he knew that he had her. He was transported to a different place and time. Of course, he’d never actually did those things. He was always made sure that the deaths were quick and painless, but she didn’t need to know that.

            “I learned that you are nothing to Sniegoski. He was training me to kill you. To crack his toughest agent. I succeeded again and again. He’d change it up. Gave me different elements to work with. My favorite was getting to torture your partner in front of you.”

            She screamed, a blood curdling sound, at him. Peter didn’t flinch. “You are wrong!”

            “Am I? You don’t seem very confident in that response.” They lapsed into silence after that, the only sound was her heavy panting as she tried to regain control. She was sweating now, clearly distressed. He wasn’t sure how long it took, but she eventually calmed down.

            She asked, “what do you want from me?”

            “Anything you know about Sniegoski.”

            “What do I get out of it?”

            “I’ll get your sister back.”

            Her head snapped up, her eyes going wide. “How did you know?”

            It was Peter’s turn to balk. The information was right. “Sniegoski mentioned her once during his ramblings. I know he was using her to control you.”

            “What do you know?”

            “She’s safe as far I know,” he said in a breathless rush. His head spun at the new information being filtered through. “You help me and I’ll bring your sister back to you.”

            She gave him a long look, calculating. “Okay. Okay. I knew he is using her as leverage against me. He influences her so she doesn’t question the situation… His goal is to gain control over the city. His plan was to create chaos and come in like some kind of savior with tech and an army to combat the chaos.”

            “That’s where Void comes in.”

            “Yes, it was originally developed for ordinary humans. It causes them to go mad with each dose until eventually they just stay that way. But we found out that it weakens those with altered DNA like yours.”

            “Why did Sniegoski target me?”

            “In the beginning, the mission was to eliminate you and Deadpool, but when he learned your real identity, he wanted you…He became obsessed with you. You were going to be his ultimate weapon. You were not just some pet project. You were going to be his prized possession. I knew that one day you would hold power over me.”

            “I was what? His star student?”

            “Essentially. Anyone who tried reasoning with him or speaking out against you, would be eliminated on spot. I don’t understand it.”

            “Where does his power originate?”

            “I don’t know that. I do know that he was pushing his boundaries with you and your trials. Holding you in that state for almost three days straight nearly costed him his life.”

            “So his power does have restrictions.”

            “Yes… Something changed in him. It was almost like he was losing control. Like he couldn’t keep you fully under. Sometimes he would be yelling from how hard he had to fight you, mentally that is. There were others like you.”

            Peter blinked in surprise. “Others?”

            “Those that Sniegoski couldn’t influence. Those that could break his hold on them. They usually ended up dead. They were too great of a risk.”

            “Why was I spared?”

            “Again. I do not know.”

 “I see.” He glanced at the one-way window, feeling his mouth go dry. He was crashing from whatever state he was just in. He could feel sweat begin to prickle along his forehead. “I’m done here. Be honest with the people who’ll come in to question you. I promise that you’ll be protected.”

            “I don’t care what happens to me, Spider-Man. Just save my sister.”

            “I plan to.” He moved the table back to its original position and stepped out of the room. Peter didn’t take time to talk to anyone because he was running. He could feel the panic overwhelming him. Finding the bathroom, he darted inside and spilled everything he had eaten that day into the toilet. A warm hand rubbed along his spine and stroked his hair as his stomach clenched painfully.

            “You did great, baby,” Wade crooned as he steadied Peter.

            He straightened, pushing his way out of the stall to go to the sink. He noticed Tony and Steve had followed and were lingering by the door. He rinsed out his mouth and washed his face. The cold water helped, but his stomach was still churning painfully, and Peter felt weak in the legs. “Fuck.”

            “Hey, what’s going on in that head of yours?” Wade asked gently, brushing damp hair away from Peter’s face.

            “I just…I went back there. It felt like I was there all over again.”

            “It’s okay. You weren’t. You are here with us. Look at me, Peter.” Wade moved in front of him and lifted Peter’s hand to his face. Wade had lifted his mask so Peter could feel the rough ridges of the scars beneath his palm. “Feel my scars. You are with me.”

            Eventually Peter calmed down enough to take deeper and longer breaths and he lost the need to just run. “Thanks,” he said weakly.

            “Of course, baby.”

            “I’m okay now.”

            “Are you sure?” Tony asked, stepping closer. “I can get you out of here. They’ve got some questions to ask of you too now.”

            Peter nodded. “Yeah. Let’s just go ahead and get this over with.”

            Steve waved his hand, halting them. “Just wait a second, Peter. Be careful about how you answer their questions. You don’t have to tell them anything.”

            “I know. I got this.”

            He straightened his spine and walked out of the bathroom. Peter had to put on a brave face because he wasn’t done dealing with dangerous figures. He followed Steve back to a new room. It was a meeting room, and everyone was gathered except for Natasha and one of the agents from earlier.

            Coulson stood from where he had been sitting and motioned Peter to the seat next to him. It put him directly across from Fury. “I have a few questions to ask of you, Peter. If you don’t mind.”

            “Get rid of anyone who isn’t on the Avenger team first.”

            He could see a few of the agents were prepared to argue, but one look from Coulson had each of them shuffling out. Once the door closed quietly behind the last agent, Coulson spoke. “That was impressive, Peter. I didn’t know you had that in you.”

            “There’s a lot you don’t know about me.”

            “It appears so…”

            Peter clenched his jaw for a second before saying, “Anyway.” His tone was sharp and a clear indicator of the downward turn his mood had taken. His patience was wearing thin, and he was ready to leave. “What else do you want from me?”

            “What else do you know that could help our cause?”

            “Nothing you don’t already know,” Peter said cautiously. “There’s nothing more I’d like to add.”

            Coulson nodded. “Thank you for your help, Mr. Parker.”

            “Am I free to go now?”

            “Just a moment,” Fury interrupted, stepping forward. He threw a folder onto the table in front of Peter. He blinked in confusion as he took in the recognizable symbol of the Avengers. “I thought I would take the opportunity to speak with you personally, Spider-Man.”

            Peter picked up the folder and opened it. The folder contained information on him, photos, and notes. He leafed through the material, pausing when he saw a page labeled _Avenger’s Initiative: Spider-Man, Peter Benjamin Parker_. Peter went on reading, ignoring the way Wade came up behind him and rested his chin on Peter’s shoulder so he could read along. Peter’s jaw dropped as he realized that he was among one of the first to be considered for the Initiative, but he was never asked due to his young age.

            “I would like to formally ask you to join the Avengers,” Fury went on after giving Peter time to read.

            Peter looked up and around at everyone’s faces. It was obvious by the shock in the room that no one else knew that this was even a possibility. Wade had stepped away but kept a comforting hand on the small of his back. Peter took a deep breath, closing the folder, and look Fury in the eye with a hard stare.

            “I refuse.”

            Shock rippled through the room, and outbursts of protest sounded in his ears.

            “What?” Tony spluttered, clearly flabbergasted. “Why would you refuse?”

            “This is a once in a life time opportunity,” Sam argued.

            “You can finally be on a pay role!” Clint blustered.

            Steve calmly touched his shoulder. “Peter, if you refuse, the Avengers will be very limited in how we can assist you in the future. You have to understand that we will not be able to always help you with your endeavors.”

            “I know. I understand that. I…I refuse. I’m honored that I was considered.”

            Tony moved closer with an earnest expression on his face. “If this is because you can’t…”

            Peter stiffened. “This has nothing to do with that. I became Spider-Man to help those who cannot help themselves. This has nothing to do with getting paid or having prestige of being a member of the Avengers. If I became a member, I would not have the freedom to protect New York. I cannot have your promises that I would work the way I want to in New York. I can’t let an organization have that much power over me.”

            He closed the folder and threw it back down on the table. “You will always have an ally in Spider-Man as long as I agree with your mission, but I do not believe that we should concentrate all superhumans under one head.”

            Fury nodded, face expressionless. “Understood. I hope to see you soon about the city, Spider-Man.”

            “Yeah, me too.”

[][][]

            Peter sighed in contentment as he curled under his boyfriend on the couch as _Golden Girls_ played on the TV. As soon as they returned to the tower, Peter had dragged Wade over to the living room and just zoned out. He felt far too raw by the information he had processed today. From what Tina had told him to turning down the chance to be an official Avenger, it was too much. Wade talked softly, telling him random facts about Bea Arthur and things that voices in his head were talking about.

            “How did you know about her sister?” Wade asked softly, playing with Peter’s hair.

            Peter paused for a moment before answering. “Sniegoski would sometimes talk to me and go on about things. He mentioned Tina having a sister named Eliza. I’m remembering small details as time goes by. Honestly I wish I could forget.”

            “I understand, baby. You know I always got your back.”

            “Thank you. Let’s just see what happens.”

            Wade grunted. “Maybe. Sniegoski might be wormy little bitch, but he’s not all powerful.”

            “No, he’s not. He has weaknesses.”

            “And we know one of them.” Peter shot his boyfriend a confused look to which Wade grinned. “You.”

[][][]

            Peter was buzzing with nervousness as he looked around the busy airport. “I mean, what are we going to tell her about me being homeschooled?”

            Tony looked up from his phone, giving Peter an impatient look over the rim of his tinted sunglasses. “We are going to tell her that I felt like I could teach you better than any mediocre high school teacher. Calm down. It’ll be fine.”

            “I’m just nervous,” he huffed, shoving his hands into the pockets of Wade’s jacket. The merc had given it to him right before he left, saying, “I’m with you in spirit!”

            “Why? She’s still your aunt.”

            “I know! I just feel like so much has changed since I last seen her.”

            “Well, a lot has changed since the last time you saw her.”

            “She’ll notice.”

            “She might, but she also respects and trusts you, Peter.”

            “I’ve been thinking about telling her.”

            Tony grunted as he leaned against the wall, pulling on his ball cap as a crowd passed them. “It’s up to you. I don’t think she’ll react poorly if you do.”

            Peter glanced at his godfather. “You think so?”

            “I know so. You don’t have to say anything. Just wait and see how it goes.”

            “Okay.”

            “Just take a deep breath and smile. She’ll be excited to see you. Just focus on that.”

            Peter sighed heavily and watched the throngs of people coming down the building. It was a few moments later that Peter saw her. He darted forward, narrowly missing running into travelers. “Aunt May!” He laughed as he scooped her up in a hug. She wrapped around him just as tightly, the sound of her voice chasing away any doubts he had.

            “Oh! Look at you! Have you grown? I think you have.”

            “How was your trip?” He asked, taking her bags from her.

            “It went smoothly. Good to see you, Mr. Stark.”

            “Tony, please. We are co-parenting at this point. Surely we are on a first name basis.”

            His aunt laughed. “I know. I just like giving you a hard time.”

            “You and your nephew. Come on. The car is outside.”

            The trip to the house was filled with excited chatter, but Peter could tell his aunt was tired. He went quiet as he listened to Tony and Aunt May talk in the front seat. He couldn’t help but stare at her as if he was trying to memorize every detail. There were a few more gray hairs by her temple. It seemed as though the laugh lines around her mouth and eyes were deeper. There was a weary look in her dark eyes. Peter saw all these things and more, noticing them for the first time, and he felt a feeling of dread in the pit of his stomach. He didn’t want to say she looked _old_. No, his aunt would never be old in his eyes, but he couldn’t deny that she had aged so much since he’d last seen her and it terrified him.

            “Peter, how about we eat at the tower tonight? I’d love to meet your boyfriend,” his aunt said, pulling him from his thoughts.

            “Yeah, that sounds good. I’ll let Wade know,” he replied as he pulled out his phone and sent a quick text to his boyfriend. Of course they had discussed him meeting his aunt. Wade was hesitant with the idea. Peter understood and promised Wade it would be okay. Tony dropped them off at his aunt’s house and left them to have some time together. Peter helped her unpack and went to the store for her while she napped. It had felt like forever since he’d gone out into the city by himself. Usually he had someone with him. It was strange having such a hard time walking through the same city he had vowed to protect. A trip to the grocery alone shouldn’t be but it was a huge reassuring step in the right direction.

            Once he returned and put away the groceries, his aunt emerged in a new change of clothes and her make-up and hair done. They headed for the tower shortly after. His spidey senses flared on the walk. He visibly twitched and felt his heart race but then his aunt said something, pulling back to wherever his mind threatened to go. He took a deep breath and responded the best he could. Thankfully nothing else happened before they reached the tower. Everyone was gathered and warmly welcomed his aunt. He smiled as he watched Aunt May hug Flash extra tight and kiss his cheek.

            Soon the elevator dinged and Peter turned to see Wade step off. He was in his casual hoodie and jeans combo, gloves and mask hiding his skin. Peter gave a sad smile as he walked over to meet him.

            “Hey.”

            “Hey.”

            “Want to take off your mask?”

            “Not really.”

            Peter sighed. “She’s not going to stand for it. Come on. It’ll be okay. She’ll love you.”

            “I highly doubt it but okay.”

            He took Wade by the hand and led him over to his aunt who was talking to Steve and Bucky as if they were old friends. She turned to them and smiled patiently at the masked man.

            “You must be Wade. Peter has told me a lot about you.”

            “All good things I hope,” Wade retorted with a forced confidence.

            “Some has been. Some he won’t tell.”

            “Won’t tell?”

            “Every time I ask if you two have had sex he won’t tell me.”

            Peter groaned and rubbed his hand over his face. “Aunt May, really?”

            She gave him a wide eyed look. “I’m just curious.”

            Wade seemed to relax a bit. “I can assure you, Miss Parker, your nephew is in good hands.”

            She laughed lightly. “Dear, you call me ‘Aunt May’. Understand?”

            “Understood.”

            “Now do I get to see the face of the man who charmed my nephew?”

            “Uh, I think my personality played a bigger part in that.”

            Peter nudged Wade. “She knows, Wade. I told her about your scars.”

            Wade huffed and then grumbled as he reached up. He pulled off the mask and looked his aunt in the eye. His aunt’s eyes widened just a fraction before it was replaced by a warm smile. She was reaching for him in the next breath and pulling Wade into a fierce hug.

            “You take care of him,” Peter heard her whisper into his ear. “I know Peter. He falls hard and he falls fast.”

            “I’ll give my life for his…every time,” Wade replied as he returned the embrace.

            Peter grinned as he watched them. Something akin to happiness stirred in his chest at seeing the two most important people in his life get along. They ate and talked through the evening. When it came time for his aunt to go home, him and Wade insisted on walking her. Of course she denied needing the escort but neither of the two men were having it.

            “I’m glad you are home,” Peter said as he kissed her good night. “Make sure you lock up.”

            She laughed. “When did you grow up?”

            “Sometime between Thanksgiving and now.”

            Something sad and fearful filtered through her eyes, startling Peter, but then she smiled. “It was wonderful to finally get to meet you, Wade. Make sure Peter makes it back to the tower safely.”

            “Roger that.”

            Peter opened his mouth to argue about staying in the tower when she was home but then clamped his mouth shut. “Good night, Aunt May. I’ll come to visit tomorrow after my studies.”

            “I expect no less. You are also welcomed anytime, Wade.”

            “Thank you.”

            When the lock clicked behind her did they leave for the tower. “I like your aunt,” Wade said conversationally.

            “She’s great,” Peter replied but it lacked emotion.

            “Hey, what’s wrong?”

            “Nothing.”

            “Don’t feed me that BS. What’s going on in your head, baby boy?”

            Peter sighed. “I…It’s just that even though she is here I can’t go home to live with her right now.”

            “Why?”

            “What if I have a flashback while she is in the room and I hurt her?”

            “You haven’t done anything like that.”

            “Yet.”

            “You think you might?”

            “Maybe? I don’t know. I just… I can’t even pretend to be normal.”

            Wade wrapped an arm around Peter’s shoulder and pulled him close to his side. “I’m no judge of what’s normal but, baby, you don’t have to be normal. You just need to find peace.”

            He was silent for the rest of the walk to the tower. Wade kissed him lightly on the lips and something churned in Peter’s stomach as he watched the man walk away. Biting the bullet, he called out, “Wade, wait!”

            The man came to stop and turned back to Peter who had caught up to Wade. “What is it?”

            “I…Stay the night?”

            Wade seemed to melt at the soft request and he nodded. “Gladly.”

            Peter smiled in relief, nervous for some unexplainable reason. Maybe it was because it’s been so long since they’ve been intimate. Since he woke from his comma a few weeks ago, they’ve only passed chaste kisses and gentle hugs. It made Peter feel like a bad boyfriend sometimes. They had only shared a bed a few times before everything went to shit but Peter wanted to work on changing that.

            He led Wade to his bedroom. Fortunately, the tower was deserted at the moment. Once in his bedroom, he asked JARVIS for everyone’s location. Clint, Natasha, Sam, and Darcy had all left the tower shortly after they had. Steve and Bucky were down in the gym. Tony and Bruce were in the lab. Wanda was in her bedroom with Lucky to keep her company, and Pepper was in her office. JARVIS finished up with “All is safe and well in the tower. There is no present danger.”

            “Thank you, JARVIS.”

            Peter saw Wade’s frown at the AI’s response and Peter shrugged. “I sometimes feel like there is something wrong even when there isn’t. I’ve gotten into the habit of asking JARVIS. Now he just automatically says it for me.”

            Wade hummed, moving to the bed, and sat down. Peter set about removing his shoes and jacket. He stripped down to his boxers as Wade did the same. They curled up beneath the covers with Wade spooning him. Peter pulled up Netflix on his computer and asked if Wade had any requests. When he said no, Peter pulled up a documentary and relaxed against the body behind him. Peter felt himself unwind as he focused on the way Wade’s scars felt against his skin and how the man just seemed to radiate heat. When he released a shaky breath, Wade tightened his hold and whispered, “It’s going to be okay, baby. I’m here with you every step of the way.”

[][][]

            Every night Wade snuck into the tower to sleep in Peter’s bed. It wasn’t that it was intentional, it’s just that they didn’t tell anyone that Wade had pretty much moved into Peter’s room at some point. A lot of times Wade just came in late from whatever SHIELD had him doing and left early to shower and change clothes. Peter didn’t even think anything of it until he woke late one morning with Wade wrapped around him and the sound of giggling. However, when he managed to open his eyes, whoever made the noise was gone. Groaning, he pulled himself from bed and got dressed. Wade was snoring faintly, unmoved, so Peter opted not to wake him. He headed into the kitchen where some of the team was gathered, talking about business. Darcy smiled smugly as he sat down with his mug of coffee.

            “What?” He slurred.

            “Good morning, sunshine. Did you sleep well?”

            Peter’s frown deepened, not fully awake yet. “I suppose.”

            “Its late in the morning, you must have been tired. I wonder what kind of activities you were up to last night,” she practically purred. The tone had Peter on high alert and wide awake in seconds.

            “I don’t like the way you said that.”

            Sam, Steve, and Tony had fallen silent to listen in on their conversation. Darcy smirked. “I just dropped by your room this morning and I was greeted to quite an adorable and yet compromising sight.”

            She pulled out her phone and showed Peter the pictures of himself and Wade sleeping together. Wade was wrapped around him like an octopus, all legs and arms, with his face pressed over Peter’s. Peter remembered waking up like that, thinking that Wade was the best cuddler ever.

            “What are we missing?” Tony asked, leaning over to see.

            Peter quickly snatched the phone from Darcy. “Nothing. You aren’t missing anything.” Because while the position was cute, they were completely naked save for their underwear but one couldn’t see that beneath the sheets.

            “Other than the fact that Wade has taken up residence in the tower.”

            Peter gaped at the woman with betrayal. “How could you?”

            “I’m bored and I don’t have someone to cuddle with at night unlike you.”

            Sam made a strangled noise as he tried to drink his coffee. Steve smirked into his coffee mug and Tony snatched the phone from Peter while he was distracted. His godfather paused as he looked at the photo. “Oh. I see. Has Wade moved his things into your underwear drawer yet?”

            Peter groaned again as he let his head fall to the table. With a smirk, Sam asked, “do you need the _talk_ again?”

            Both Peter and Tony responded with a very strong “NO”. Then as if on que, Wade strolled in whistling a bright tune. “Good morning, Avenger fam! You okay, babe?”

            Peter glared at the others but then smiled. “I’ve been worse.”

[][][]

            Peter frowned at the man in front of him. He was tall, with neatly slicked back hair and trimmed goatee. He looked a lot like Tony, but something about the man set Peter on edge. And no wonder when he found out it was none other than Dr. Strange himself.

            “You must be Spider-Man.” Dr. Strange said, holding out a hand. Peter shook it with a standard greeting falling from his lips.

            “Yeah. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

            “The pleasure is mine. You have made waves across the city and superhuman communities with what happened.”

            “Right.” Peter had purposely made himself out of touch with anyone who wasn’t an Avenger. He had no interest in having all of his problems glaringly looking back at him.

            “I’m here to see if you carry any clues as to how Sniegoski’s powers work.”

            Peter casted a wary glance towards Wade and Tony. Wanda stepped forward and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. “Don’t worry, Peter. Strange is our ally and we won’t let any harm come to pass. Even though I haven’t detected any use of magic around you, it doesn’t hurt to get a second opinion.”

            He sighed heavily. “Alright. What do you need me to do?”

            A few minutes later, he found himself sitting on the floor, legs crossed, with the other man across from him. Bruce had come to join the small gathering. Strange, despite his aloofness, tried to comfort Peter as he explained what would happen next.

            “I will do a scan of your physical form to see if there is any magic at work. Then we will merge into the astral plane where I’ll see your memories of your time in contact with Sniegoski.”

            “Wait,” Peter said, throwing up his hands. “No one said this would involve me remembering the stuff I’m constantly trying to suppress. I’m not down with this.”

            The man rolled his eyes causing Peter to send him an incredulous look. “The human mind is a powerful thing, Peter. You know this. Even if you don’t remember details, doesn’t mean that you didn’t sense those details and aren’t stored in your mind.”

            “Still not okay with this.”

            Strange’s expression softened. “You won’t be alone. I’ll be there with you. Perhaps this can be a healing experience for you.”

            “I highly doubt that,” Peter grumbled. He glanced around at his friends and sighed. “Fine. Let’s get this over with.”

            Wade quickly sat behind him on the floor, leaning against Peter. “Hurt him, Strange, and you’ll have to deal with me.”

            The magician gave his boyfriend a flat look. “Do not tempt me, Deadpool”

            “Just saying. Boyfriend protocol and all that. Nothing personal.”

            Ignoring Wade, Dr. Strange lifted his hand and glowing circle with odd archaic symbols appeared in front him. Something like warm water passed over his entire body, causing him to shudder. He swallowed hard as Strange gave him a hard look.

            “Are you ready?”

            Peter nodded and in the next blink, he was in his cell _. He inhaled sharply as he saw himself chained to the floor, shivering. He jumped when Strange placed a hand on his shoulder. Time sped up and at the same time Peter saw everything. He saw Sniegoski come into the room and take a seat._

_“You and I will bring the world to its knees, Peter. You will make me the most powerful man alive. Let’s begin shall we?”_

_A few moments later, Peter watched his past-self thrash and scream at the torment happening in his mind. It was hard to watch himself, so he watched Sniegoski. The man was in heavy concentration, hands in his pockets. He was muttering beneath his breath. As time passed, the man had to take a break. At that point, he removed a stone from his pocket. It was an odd thing to carry but it wasn’t overly unusual. Tina then came in with water and food, try to reason with him, only to be sent away. Then Sniegoski would begin again, stone in hand. Tina returned a third time into the second day. She waited for her boss to end the session. Peter could see the man’s face pinch into a frown, sweat beading along his brow. The man suddenly snarled, his eyes flying open. He stood, throwing his chair against the wall in a fit of rage. Tina took a step back._

_“What happened, sir?”_

_“I don’t know! He overpowered me! How?”_

_“Overpowered you, sir?” Tina’s eyes darted towards Peter’s limp form on the floor._

_“He altered the reality I set up for him.” Sniegoski walked over to Peter’s body and kicked him hard to the stomach. Peter swallowed hard, flinching back as if he felt the kick right then. They shifted through the rest of Peter’s stay, watching Sniegoski struggle to control Peter. Then the nurse came in and freed him. Strange ended the sequence there._

            Peter inhaled sharply as he came back to himself and was in the tower again. “That was not fun.”

            “Well?” Tony said, coming to help Peter stand. He felt disoriented. Glancing at the clock, Peter saw that an hour had passed.

            Strange stood in one graceful motion. “We know that the source of Sniegoski’s power is of the magical variety.”

            Peter blinked in surprise, standing himself. “Wait. How do you know that?”

            “The muttering was a spell incarnation. A powerful one from what I could tell. I bet that the stone in his hand was somehow related.”

            “Do you know what it is?” Tony asked with a worried frown.

            “I do not, but I will find out though. I’ll be sure to let you know as soon as possible.”

            “Anything else?”

            “His powers are limited, and it appears that Peter figured out how to disrupt those powers.”

            Peter shook his head. “I don’t know how.”

            “Do you remember anything during your time that would have angered him so?”

            “I imagine there’s a lot.” Peter racked his brain, trying to think. “I mean I spent of it trying not to do what he wanted and there was once…Oh.”

            “What?” Tony pressed, staring at him intently. Wade had come around to hold his hand.

            “Tina was torturing Wade. I made it stop. I made Wade vanish.”

            Strange placed a hand on Peter’s shoulder. “Sniegoski is not as powerful as we all have been led to believe. Your will is much stronger than any kind of abilities that your enemy has. We know that now.”

            “Yeah, we do,” Peter amended. “Thank you for your help.”

            Strange nodded. “Anytime, Spider-Man. You will always have an ally in me. I do look forward to seeing our arachnid back to swinging around the city soon.”

[][][]

            Peter found himself in Coulson’s office again. Wade and Tony took up positions in front of him. It made him feel put out a bit. His visit with Strange had only left him even more confused and unsure how to move forward. It left him with more questions than answers. It weighed heavily on him. For the last few days Peter has had an itch that he desperately needed to scratch. He knew the only way for him to do so was to put on the suit. So what was stopping him? Fear? Peter couldn’t put a name to it now, but it was like he was waiting for something. A sign of some kind. Something that would tell him that he could do this, that it was time to put on the suit again. Until then he was resigned to the sidelines.

            “Thank you for coming on short notice, gentlemen.”

            “Aw, I didn’t know that you thought so highly of me, Phil.” Wade purred and Peter saw the other two men roll their eyes.

            “It’s no problem,” Tony replied, ignoring Wade.

            “We have a location on Sniegoski.”

            “How?” Peter found himself asking, stepping forward.

            “We managed to locate Ms. Tina Connors’ sister. She told us where Sniegoski is right now.”

            “Wait. You had Tina’s sister and you let her go?”     

            “If we pulled her out, Sniegoski would have noticed and moved. We couldn’t afford it.”

            “He can also see into her head and kill her. I promised Tina I would…”

            Coulson frowned, “you are really keeping your promise to the same woman who has tried to kill and torture you?”

            “Yes!” He ignored the incredulous looks he received. “Where is he?”

            The Director gave him a long look before pulling up a map on the screen behind him. Peter immediately recognized the location as one of the old Void storage buildings that him and Wade had disbanded in the beginning of their partnership.

            “Looks like we are going back to square one,” Wade grumbled.

            Coulson nodded and handed Wade a packet. “Here are your instructions and your mission.”

            “Wait,” Peter said. “You can’t. We don’t know if Sniegoski can mess with your head or not and you aren’t going in alone.”

            “He won’t be, Mr. Parker. I have assembled a team for Deadpool.”

            Tony cleared his throat. “And I have developed a device that should help.”

            Peter watched in silence as godfather stepped forward and dropped what looked like ear cuffs onto Coulson’s desk, handing two to Wade. “This is something that we managed to come up with. It was effective in blocking Wanda’s powers to an extent.”

            “Thank you, Mr. Stark.”

            Peter remained quiet while the other two men kept talking. Wade glanced back at Peter every now and then with a worried expression on his face. Peter didn’t say much as they headed back to the tower, mulling over everything. Yeah, it hurt not to be included in the mission especially considering he had played just a huge role in hunting down Sniegoski.

            “Okay, kid,” Tony finally said as they stepped off the elevator. “What’s eating you?”

            “Nothing.” Peter shot his godfather a warning look when he acted like he was going to press. He escaped to his bedroom. It didn’t feel right to let Wade go on his own.

[][][]

            Wade was leaving for his mission that night. His aunt was coming to the tower to eat dinner with them. The Avengers were present despite their busy schedules. They still tried to meet once a week to catch up. Peter ate his meal quietly, leaning against Wade who was just as silent. He knew they were drawing attention. Especially when Clint said, “I don’t think I’ve ever heard you stay this quiet for five minutes, Deadpool.” The comment only received a grunt. Peter knew that his mood was effecting Wade.

            After desert his aunt had had enough. “Peter Benjamin. What is wrong with you?”

            Peter flinched at the use of his middle name. “It’s nothing, Aunt May.”

            She turned her steely gaze on Wade who looked like a deer in headlights. “Wade, care to explain?”

            “I…Uh, you see I have mission tonight that Peter is just worried about.”

            His aunt gave them a long look. “Why is he worried about it? Is he not going with you?”

            Everyone froze in place. One could hear a pen drop in the room. Peter looked at his aunt with wide eyes, his stomach dropping.

            “What do you mean, Aunt May? Why would I go with him?” His voice pitched in panic.

            She gave him a level look, propping her chin on the heel of her hand. “You are his partner, Peter. Why not?”

            “Because. I don’t go on missions.”

            “Not recently, no.”

            His jaw dropped open as he gaped at the woman. “Aunt May…do you know?”

            “That you are Spider-Man? Of course.”

            Peter felt like the world had fallen out from under him. He didn’t know what to do or say. His head whipped around, seeing Tony stand with a guilty look on his face. His godfather looked like a good target. “You told her?!”

            “Peter, I ¾”

            “Peter, wait ¾” Steve began.

            A quick look around the room told him that everyone knew that his aunt had known. “Aunt May ¾”

            She stood, holding up a delicate hand. “They didn’t tell me anything, Peter. I have known for a very long time.”

            He stood too as she walked around the table to him. She took his hands in hers. “You think I wouldn’t piece it together, dear?”

            “I didn’t want you to worry…I wanted to tell you. I just wanted to keep you safe.” His eyes were beginning to burn as something akin to relief took up residence in his chest.

            “I know. I know. Now. Tell me why you are not going on this mission with Wade.”

            He glanced at the others before releasing a shaky breath. “I…Something bad happen to me, Aunt May.”

            “I know, my dear boy.” His eyes flew to hers for explanation. “I saw it on the news. It was broadcasted across the country. I saw what that man did to you.”

            His heart shattered. “Aunt May, I can’t imagine what that must have felt like.”

            “You will if you have superpowered children of your own one day. I felt as helpless and as lost as the day we lost Ben.”

            “I’m sorry, Aunt May. What happened messed me up bad.”

            “I can tell.”

            “I haven’t been able to be Spider-Man since.”

            His aunt looked at for a long minute before tilting her chin up. “Go put on your suit and meet us on Stark’s launch pad.”

            Peter gaped at her before she gave him a rough shove and no nonsense command. He hurried to his room without a backward glance and dug out his suit. Putting it on brought up a complex mix of excitement and anxiety. His web shooters snapped into place and for the first time in weeks, he felt better. He felt like his old self. With his mask in hand, he headed up to the landing dock of the Avenger’s tower. Everyone was gathered around his aunt. They stopped talking as Peter stepped into the room and the smiles on everyone’s faces…It felt like coming home.

            He walked over to his aunt whose eyes shined with unshed tears. She yanked him into a hug before taking a step back. “Look at you. My boy. You have grown into such a fine young man. Your…father would have been proud.”

            “You’re right. Uncle Ben would have been.”

            “Peter…”

            “Aunt May…Uncle Ben was more a father figure to me than my actual father.”

            She hummed, a small smile gracing her face. “He’s not the only father figure you’ve had. You are very lucky.”

            Peter glanced up with her to look over at Tony and Steve standing next to one another. “You’re right. I’ve had quite a few.”

             Her hands carefully took his mask from his. She unraveled so she could look into the bug eyed lenses. “Peter, do you remember when you were ten and you got into a fight with those boys?”

            “I do. I carried those bruises for weeks.”

            “You stood up to those boys who were terrorizing a cat. You told me how scared you were but you were proud of how, despite how terrified you were, you still stood up to them and saved that cat. What I am telling you now, is that it is time for you to stand up, no matter how terrified you are, and fight.”

            Peter snorted in disbelief. “I thought you would be happy that I wasn’t playing hero anymore.”

            She shook her head. “No. You were meant for greater things, Peter. The way you are living your life now is not who you are.”

            “I don’t know who I am anymore, Aunt May.” Peter admitted softly.

            “You are bigger than your fears. You are stronger than this. You were held captive, tortured, and you got away. You survived. That son of a bitch did not break you. I want you to hold your chin up, give yourself the credit you deserve, and give him hell. Do you hear me, Peter? You are Spider-man and no one will ever take that from you. I want you to bring that man to justice. Do it for your uncle, Captain Stacy, and Gwen. Do it for all the lives you have lost and all the ones you have saved.”

            It was like the earth shifting and settling into place after a horrific earthquake as Peter bowed his head for his aunt to slip on his mask. She fixed it into place and patted his shoulder. “Go make that monster’s life a living hell.”

            Peter nodded, his eyes fixing on the wide open sky line of New York. It was decided the moment he put on the suit. He took off at a dead run, leaving all his fears and doubt behind as he jumped off the ledge. He swung through the city like he hadn’t missed a day. He followed his old routes, swinging low and slow. People filled the streets, calling out to him, cheering as he swung by. He saw a flash of red when he got close to Hell’s Kitchen and saw Daredevil running along the roof tops next to him before disappearing. Peter smiled to himself as his spidey sense tinged and he headed towards the danger. He stopped a would be mugger wielding a gun. It was thrilling and exhilarating. His aunt had given him the exact push that he needed. Thinking of his loved ones, he headed to the bridge to leave a message.

            By the time he returned to the Tower, everyone was gathered in the living area watching the news. Flash hurried over to him with an excited grin on his face. “Dude, you should see what they are saying about you!”

He took off his mask as he watched videos of him flash across the screen, including one of his message in webs on the bridge.

            “‘I’m back’ is the best you got, kid?” Clint asked as he shoved popcorn into his mouth.

            “I only had so much room to work with,” he said with a grin, high-fiving Flash.

            “Let’s get going, baby,” Wade announced as he made his way over. “I need my partner beside me.”

            Peter felt himself soften as he remembered how just a few months ago, they were a less than likely team. He smiled. “Yeah, let’s go.”

            Tony handed him the device that he had designed for SHIELD. “I guess you don’t need me to tell you to be careful…but be careful. Contact us if you get yourself into a bind.”

            He nodded and hugged his aunt before following Wade out of the building. Peter couldn’t mistake the shred of hope and excitement that had taken up residences in his heart, chasing away the darkness that had plagued him for the last several weeks.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh wow. First things first: Thank you to everyone who has supported me through this period of inactivity. It means so much. 
> 
> Second: I intend to finish this. I promise I will finish it. 
> 
> Third: I want to apologize for taking so long to post this. I've been dealing with a lot and it has been so hard to write. The future looks a bit rocky for me anyway so I can't guarantee speedy updates though I do hope I can get the last chapters out quickly. 
> 
> Also, since I am struggling a bit, if you have any ideas for the fic or you would like to see something happen let me know and I'll see what I can do! 
> 
> Again thank you and I hope this chapter does not disappoint. <3


	20. What is Left

Peter and Wade met up with SHIELD agents near a typical industrial complex. He was thrumming with energy and nerves, but Peter couldn’t back out now. He wouldn’t allow himself. There was too much riding on him to successfully complete this mission. The agents looked surprised to see him and Wade cut down any objections immediately. The merc went through a brief over view of the plan before signaling it was time for them to go. Naturally, Peter stuck to Wade’s side as they slipped down the street to get into position.

            Peter carried Wade to the roof, aware that the SHIELD agents would be working their way up from the bottom. Of course as soon as they dropped onto the roof and made their entrance, him and Wade were swarmed by guards. That was their first sign they had stumbled across something important if it was this heavily guarded. Peter’s spidey-senses flared and he jumped right into the action as if he hadn’t missed a day. He took down three guards fast and cleanly, leaving them unconscious piles on the floor before leading Wade down the stairwell.

            They traded looks as the power went out. “Not part of the plan,” Wade growled softly and Peter nodded, checking the device Tony had given him.

            “You got your canceller?”

            “Yeah. Had it in before left pop’s place.”

            Peter managed a smile at that as they crept along the hallways. He could hear noises a few floors below, but nothing beyond what was typically expected. The hope was to drive Sniegoski into a corner but only time would tell. That was if he was even here. Peter noticed a sign that pointed them in the direction of the labs. He nudged Wade and pointed to the sign to which his boyfriend nodded. If Sniegoski was commanding this building, no doubt there were would be things of interest on that floor. They made their way quickly but were soon met by more than your standard guard.

            “We got mutants,” Wade hissed as a man opened his mouth and a force hit them, threatening to send them flying. Peter grabbed Wade and saw the way his boyfriend nodded to him. Sticking himself firmly to the floor, Peter lifted the merc and swung him around. His boyfriend flew into the man, cackling like a mad man. Peter met the other guards head on, quickly realizing they had enhanced strength, but he was pleased to note that they were nowhere near as powerful as Tina. Peter stumbled when he was hit by the invisible force again, one of the guards clipping his shoulder. He bit the yelp of pain before webbing his attacker to the wall. He quickly webbed the mutant’s mouth shut before focusing on the rest of the guards.

            Then it seemed as if time slowed down around Peter. His eyes snapped up and he saw Sniegoski standing at the end of the hallway. Peter wasn’t sure how he would feel confronting the man who had made his life a living hell. It felt too soon. It felt far too overwhelming. Peter had expected fear. That’s exactly what he got too. Unfiltered, raw fear. It felt cold and hot at the same time. Everything slowed down and went quiet. Nothing existed in between Peter and the fear… Then he heard Wade’s voice yelling. It sounded like they were in a drum, like Wade was far away but it was enough. Enough to pull him back and allow fury to creep between Peter and the fear. He was running before he even registered what was happening.

            Shock filtered through Sniegoski’s smug expression as Peter charged towards him. _Then the smug expression returned stronger than before and right as Peter reached the man, Sniegoski held up his hand, shaking his head, and Wade’s blood curdling scream halted Peter in his tracks. Peter whirled around and saw his boyfriend pinned to the ground by one of guards. Wade’s arms were being pulled back at awkward angles. Peter could hear the bones grinding and the tissue tearing under the strain. His boyfriend would be mutilated if this was to go on._

_“Welcome back, Peter.”_

_Peter shivered at the sound of the man’s voice. He thought about his friends and family. He turned on Sniegoski. “This isn’t real.”_

_“Is it?”_

_“No, it isn’t. I’m not afraid of you. Not anymore.” Peter snarled, taking a step closer. “You and your party tricks aren’t going to stop me from bringing your entire operation down.”_

_“It looks like I’ll just have to start over with you.”_

_“You won’t get the chance, Sniegoski. Now it’s time for you to get out of my head.”_

_Sniegoski smirked, stepping closer. “You don’t have that kind of power.”_

_“Don’t I?” Peter was bluffing. They both knew it, but he also knew he didn’t have any other options. He swallowed hard, intending to take a step back as Sniegoski moved closer, but his feet were stuck in place. Sniegoski continued his approach until he was right in front of Peter._

_“No, you don’t.” Peter was frozen in place as Sniegoski reached up and stroked a hand along his jaw in a gentle gesture that sent chills down Peter’s spine. “But under my guidance you will.”_

_“Don’t touch me,” Peter hissed as he struggled against invisible bonds._

_“You are mine, Peter. You will be my protégé. It is only a matter of time.”_

_Invisible hands wound themselves around his throat and squeezed. Peter choked on the sound that tried to escape at the pressure. He couldn’t breathe, couldn’t move and it sent a bolt of terror through him.  His vision went black and he could feel himself going under. Something brushed along the edge of his consciousness._

_“What are you doing?” Peter gurgled, his words clipped and unable to be voiced properly._

_“Nothing you need to worry about.”_

_“Stop,” Peter tried to cry out. Images flashed across his vision. His aunt’s laugh rang in his ears. Gwen’s smile. Tony’s worried frown. Steve’s hand on his shoulder. Wade’s mouth on his. “Stop!”_

            His fist connected with Sniegoski’s jaw and a shudder ran through the building. Peter, gasping for air, grabbed the man by the lapels of his jacket and shoved him against the wall. In the next second, Sniegoski shoved at him with almost inhuman strength, causing Peter to stumble and trip over debris. Peter quickly rolled to his feet. They both paused, breathing heavy from the struggle. Sniegoski had a gun pointed at Peter’s head. The hand trembled slightly as gray eyes locked on big white lens of the Spider-Man mask. Then the barrel shifted ever so slightly to the right and before Peter could move, Sniegoski fired off three rounds. Peter’s heart stopped when he heard Wade’s grunt of pain. He whirled around to see dark patches of blood bloom against the red fabric of his suit. Sniegoski took off down the hall. Peter was about to give chase, but Sniegoski was forgotten as his boyfriend dropped.

            It was easy work dispatching the last guard, leaving him alone in the now quiet hallway. He knelt next to Wade, checking his pulse. Peter’s heart skipped as he felt nothing there. Logically, Peter knew that Wade would be alright given time, and that he should go after Sniegoski, but Peter couldn’t bring himself to leave his boyfriend behind. Taking a second to steady his breathing, he flipped his comm on so he could speak to the head SHIELD agent.

            “Sniegoski is in the building. Do not engage the target. Stark’s tech doesn’t work. Deadpool is out of commission. The upper levels are cleared.”

            “Understood, Spider-Man.”

            “I’m getting Deadpool out of here. You got it from here?”

            “Yes. Back up is on the way now.”

            Peter switched the comm off, and paused when he heard a small noise down the hallway. Standing, Peter noted the way his spidey-senses were only a slight buzz at the base of his skull, but nothing to be overly worried about. He edged down the hall, cautiously checking doors and rooms as he went. He reached an intersection of the two halls and heard rapid breathing. Poking his head around the corner, he spotted a young woman crouched on the floor. She trembled and had her face hidden against her knees in an obvious attempt to keep quiet.

“Hey,” he called out as softly as he could, but even then she still flinched violently and gaped at him with wide and fearful eyes. “Hey. It’s okay. There is nothing to be afraid of.” He stepped out, holding his hands up in a nonthreatening manner. “It’s just me. Your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.”

“Is…Is he gone?”       

Peter didn’t need to ask who she was referring to. “Yeah, he’s gone. What’s your name?”

“Eliza.”

            “Eliza? As in Tina’s Eliza?”

            Her expression changed to something of hesitant confusion. “Tina? You know my sister?”

            Peter paused, considering his answer. “Yeah, I know her.”

            “He has her. You have to save her.”

            His eyes went wide as his mind scrambled to keep up. He felt far to frazzled to be dealing with this, but Peter knew he couldn’t leave her here. He had a promise to keep. “Wait…Shit. You don’t know. Okay. How about we get out of here, and I’ll tell you everything.”

            He helped her stand, and they hurried back over to where Wade was still sprawled on the floor. Peter hefted his boyfriend over his shoulder, ignoring the way blood soaked into his suit. He caught the worried look on her face.

            “Is he dead?” She asked.

            “He’ll be okay.” No way was he explaining how his boyfriend was probably immortal right now. Peter just wanted to get out of there before SHIELD agents caught up to them. He still didn’t trust the organization. Once on the roof, they had to get creative, but he managed to carry both the girl and Wade back to the tower. No one was on the launching dock, but JARVIS quickly informed him that Steve, Tony, and Flash were gathered in the living area.

            “Thanks, JARVIS,” Peter grunted as he got onto the elevator, trying to decide where to bring Wade.

            “Of course. Welcome back, Mr. Parker.”

            Peter smiled to himself before glancing at Eliza. She looked a little shell shocked, staring at everything with wide, fearful eyes. She was curled into herself, looking like she might collapse at any moment. Peter vaguely wandered if he looked the same when he escaped Sniegoski. There was no telling what she had been through. The doors opened and he was met with worried faces. Tony and Steve were in front of him instantly.

            “What happened, Peter?” Tony asked as Steve said, “We should get Wilson to the infirmary.”

            “Wade was shot. I’ll just clean him up in my room.”

            “He needs to go to the medical wing.”

            “He’s dead. There’s nothing they can do,” Peter snapped. He paused as he saw the way both men flinched. “Look. This is Eliza, Tina’s sister.” He turned to Eliza. “This is Tony and Steve. They are the good guys. They’ll look after you. Let me take care of Deadpool, and I’ll be back out.”

            She nodded silently, and Flash was suddenly by his side, ushering Peter down the hall. Peter tried to protest, but Flash wasn’t having any of it. “No way, dude. You enlisted my help last time and I’m pretty sure the time before last when it came to helping your dead boyfriend. It’s a thing now.”

            “Can we please not make it a thing,” Peter groaned as he laid Wade down in the bathtub.

            “Tell your boyfriend to stop getting himself killed,” Flash remarked as he closed the door. “What do you need?”

            Peter removed his mask, taking a deep breath. “Go get Wade some clean clothes. His drawer is the second one.”

            Flash grinned. “Wade does have a drawer here.”

            “Go!”

            Once his friend was gone, Peter got to work removing Wade’s weapons, boots, mask and gloves. He removed the top part of his suit where most of the wounds were. He cleaned up the blood and made sure that wounds were clear of any dirt so his body didn’t run into any further complications. When Flash returned with the items, Peter changed out his pants with a clean pair of boxers and sweats. Once he was satisfied that his boyfriend wasn’t going to continue to get blood everywhere, Peter carried him back to his room and tucked him into the bed.

            “Stop getting yourself killed for me, you idiot.” Peter grumbled before leaning down to kiss him. He headed back out into the main area, leaving his mask in place. Enough people knew what his face looked like. But then he saw the way she sat at the dining table, wrapped in a blanket and with a mug of coffee in front of her. He sighed, removed the mask, and went to sit next to her. She looked up at Peter, surprise filtering through expression before she looked away.

            “Hey, how are you doing?”

            She shrugged. “I want my sister.”

            Peter glanced at the others and realized that they hadn’t explained anything yet. Steve said, “we thought it would be best for you to tell it since you have a better grasp of the situation than we do.”

            He nodded and turned back to the girl. Honestly, they were about the same age but right now Peter felt old beyond his years. “Eliza, what do you know about your sister and her relationship with Sniegoski?”

            Eliza frowned. “She’s his prisoner…Isn’t she?”

            “Sort of. Your sister is a mutant, and Sniegoski has used her powers to help his crime organization. He used you as leverage against Tina. Your sister was recently arrested for her crimes and is being held in a SHIELD prison facility.”

            The look of heartbreak on her face made Peter wish that he didn’t have to be the one to tell her all of this. “No, that can’t be. She’s a good person.”

            “I’m sorry, Eliza. I know Tina loves you. She loves you enough to do bad things to keep you safe.”

            The first tear slipped down her cheek. “I want to see my sister.”

            “If you feel up to it maybe we can get you in to see her now?” He glanced at Tony and saw the way the man nodded. His godfather stood, pulling his cell out of his pocket.

            “Yes, please.”

            “You know that police will want to talk to you.”

            She nodded. “I just want to see Tina first. I have to know she’s okay.”

            “Come on then,” Tony said, as he returned to them. “I got us clearance.”

            Steve and Flash stayed behind while Tony and Peter escorted Eliza to the SHIELD facility. Peter put on his mask before they left the tower. His suit was becoming uncomfortable from the dried blood and sweat. His body was aching in places, knowing he had taken a beaten tonight, and he was exhausted as his adrenalin crashed.

            Eventually they got to an interrogation room like the one they had been in before. Tina was in the room, restrained and looking annoyed. Eliza gasped softly at the sight of her sister. Tony opened the door for her, saying, “take your time.”

            Peter watched as Eliza darted into the room, blanket still around her shoulders, and the look of shock crossed Tina’s face. Eliza hugged Tina since Tina couldn’t move around much. Peter didn’t miss the way tears fell down Tina’s cheeks as Eliza climbed in her lap and they both cried.

            “You amaze me all the time, kid,” Tony commented as he watched the moment between the two sisters.

            Peter glanced at his godfather, frowning beneath the mask. “What makes you say that?”

            “You forgave Tina like it was the easiest thing to do in the world even after all she had done to you and Wade.”

            Peter shrugged. “I understand why. Some of it wasn’t even her. It was just what Sniegoski wanted me to believe. Sure, Tina has done some bad things, but she did it for Eliza. I can relate to that.”

            Tony threw an arm around Peter’s shoulders and pulled him close. “Don’t let that change about you. Not many can forgive so easily. It’s a good trait.”

            A moment later the door behind them opened. Eliza was still in the room with Tina. Now they were talking quietly. Peter turned to see Coulson step into the room.

            “Spider-Man, I see tonight turned out to be a success. You found Eliza.”

            “I did. It’s a win in my book.” Under different circumstances he would have been mad about letting Sniegoski get away, but then he might not have found Eliza.

            “I’ll need a statement from you, Peter.”

            He nodded, glancing at the two women. “What’s going to happen to Eliza and Tina?”

            Coulson stepped forward. “Well, Tina’s trial is underway, but perhaps with Eliza’s testimony, Tina might receive lesser sentencing and possibly even acquittal. It is going to be a high profile case that is going to put Sniegoski in the spot light. He won’t have much places to run once it hits national news. Powers or no.

            “As far as Eliza in the time being, she will be placed in a home for abused and battered women where she will be safe and well cared for. There she will receive therapy and medical treatment.”

            “That’s…great. I’m glad.”

            “You did good tonight, Peter. You should be proud.”

            Peter smiled softly. “Thanks.”

[][][]

            By the time they got back to the tower it was almost two in the morning. Steve, teaching Flash how to play some card game from his army days. mentioned wanting to talk before they all went to bed so Peter headed to his room where he grabbed some fresh clothes and headed back into the bathroom. He piled his and Wade’s bloody suits together and took a hot shower, thinking about everything that happened. It felt like such a whirl wind and hard to make any sense of, he knew he would never forget how tight Eliza had hugged him when they said goodbye. Eventually he got dressed and went to find the others.

            Tony and Steve had moved to sit at the table. Flash handed him a cup of coffee before silently leaving the room with a pat on Peter’s shoulder. He sat down across from Tony, the events of the night crashing down on him. Before anyone could say anything, Peter said, “We ran into Sniegoski. Your tech didn’t work against him.”

            Tony seemed speechless for a beat before he responded. “It just means that we have to try something else.”

            Peter nodded before taking a sip of the hot liquid. “He trapped me…but I somehow managed to break whatever spell he had over me.”

            “How?” Steve asked softly, his brows punched in a frown.

            “I…I don’t know. It was like once he established a connection, I could find whatever I needed to push back and I did. He ran once he realized what happened.”

            Steve grunted in interest. “It seems that whatever it is, Sniegoski doesn’t have absolute control when he does what he does. We still need to tread carefully.”

            “Just because Peter is able to break the hold on him, doesn’t mean the rest of us can,” Tony finished, reaching across the table to put his hand over Peter’s.

            “What happened with Wade?” Steve asked.

            Peter shook his head. “We scuffled and Sniegoski shot Wade I think to distract me. I hate that he died for me again.”

            “Again?” Steve and Tony asked incredulously.

            “He did it once before awhile back. Died that time too only I didn’t know he would bounce back from it.”

            “Were you two together then?” Tony asked, feigning disinterest, but Peter could tell that was the opposite.

            Peter actually smiled. “No, we actually got together when that happened.”

            Steve huffed a laugh while Tony groaned, “Of course. You couldn’t have been a typical teenager with typical relationship problems. No, you have a boyfriend who can _die_ and argues with the voices in his head.”

            Peter shrugged. “What can I say? I like to keep everyone on their toes.”

            “Well, stop it. Seeing you walk in tonight covered in blood shaved a few years off my life, and Wade can expect a talking too when he wakes up.”

            “Got it.”

[][][]

Wade did in fact get pulled off to the side by Tony and had that stern talk. Peter had no idea what was said, but he knew that Wade returned with a solemn look on his face and hugged Peter a little tighter than normal. Peter still felt shaken by the encounter, having gotten little to no sleep that night until Wade final woke from recovered injuries. Despite his exhaustion, Peter found himself in Tony’s lab, working diligently in order to escape for a bit. He wasn’t sure for how long he was preoccupied until he heard the door open.

            “I see I’m not the only one who throws themselves into work when something is bothering them,” Tony announced as he leaned against the counter next to Peter.

            Peter rolled his eyes. “I guess it runs in the family.”

            “I suppose so. Why don’t you take a break? Darcy insists on having a team bonding night. No one is allowed to get out of it unless it pertains to saving the world.”

            “Just the world? I’m sure New York is in desperate need of saving,” Peter responded, grimacing inwardly at the bitterness in his own voice.

            Tony frowned. “You don’t have to save New York on your own, Peter.”

            “I know.”

            There was a beat of silence. “Tell me what’s going on in that head of yours.”

            Peter sighed, setting down the parts of Tony’s suit he was working on. “Its personal, Tony. Its more than just protecting New York. I want to be the one who brings in Sniegoski.”

            “You might be the only one who can.” Tony held up his hand when Peter looked at him sharply. “You have been the only one who can get close so far and break his hold. It’s too risky to experiment with this guy.”

            “It is. I wouldn’t want any of you to experience that shit Sniegoski pulls off.”

            “It’s not for you to worry about. We can handle ourselves. Focus on yourself, Peter.” Tony clasped his hand on Peter’s shoulder. “Come on. Darcy doesn’t like to wait.”

 “Thank you, Tony.”

[][][]

_Flashes of memories danced before his eyes like the way old time films silently played on. They haunted his every waking moment. They only served as reminders of what he once had…what he could have had before it was ripped away from him. A little boy with big brown eyes and messy brown hair smiled up at him, unafraid of the man he was. It was his only happy memory in a string of death and cruelty. A calloused hand reached into his pocket and withdrew the source of all his agony, a stone. A trinket he’d found on his adventures as a young man that gave him indescribable power. The runes glowed ominously up at him and he desperately wanted to throw it into the harbor to be rid of the damn thing, but forces much more tempting and addicting stayed his hand. He inhaled, held his breath, and released it slowly. It was only a matter of time._

Peter sat up in his bed with a startled gasp, confusion and panic swamping his awareness. The room was dark save for the bit of light that trailed into the room through the cracked door. Peter rubbed his chest, where it felt tight. The figure next to him shifted, drawing his attention to his bed partner.

            Wade grumbled, “I don’t wanna go to school…It’s for squares.” He rolled over and wrapped himself around Peter’s waist.

            He took a deep breath, staring at the door across the room from him for a moment. The longer he sat awake the more details he forgot about his dream even though he tried to remember. It slipped through his fingers, but Peter couldn’t stop the nagging feeling that it had been important. Shaking himself, he grabbed his phone and typed out what he could remember. Peter laid back down, curling into Wade. His mind wondered for hours, worry nagging him about his last encounter with Sniegoski. It was far too soon to tell, but what if he had done something to Peter. He couldn’t help but be paranoid with anything dealing with Sniegoski.

            He didn’t go back to sleep. When the clocked ticked over to four a.m., Peter rose from the bed and got dressed. Wade slept on, still recovering from his previous injuries. Perhaps a jog with the others would help. He decided that he wouldn’t dwell on it.

[][][]

            With the reappearance of Spider-Man crime came to a surprising slow down. The citizens of New York rejoiced at the return of their favored superhero. Even the Daily Bugle’s anti-Spider-Man hate speech had little effect as people felt safer walking the streets at night. The man clad in red and blue worked harder than before bringing down Void dealers and getting help to those hooked on the drug. It was a joint effort between Peter Parker and Bruce Banner to develop an antidote to Void. It didn’t cure the addiction but it did stop its effects. Peter made sure that the police and Daredevil had a supply of the antidote.

            It took him and Bruce almost a month to develop something to combat Void. The only reason they were able to finish it as quickly as they did was thanks to Tony who managed to get the police to release the records found at Oscorp on what was in the drug to begin with. Once they knew the exact components they were able to come up with something pretty quickly. It was a temporary fix, until they could permanently eradicate Void from the streets of New York.

            Peter was getting better. Sure, he still had his bad days but Peter was healing. Sometimes he worked tirelessly in Tony’s lab, too anxious to sleep. Someone would come find him, usually Wade or Wanda, to drag him to bed and help him sleep. Other times it showed itself in flashbacks. In the way he freezes up or loses himself in the moment. Sometimes it was rage or irrational fear. Sometimes it was dreams and nightmares. The dreams were the oddest development. He saw things and people that were familiar but Peter knew he had never seen it before. In the dreams he saw a little boy with big brown eyes and wild hair. Peter felt fondness as he looked down at the boy. Pride. Happiness. Purpose. It was elation and everything and so much more. It left Peter breathless as he watched the child play. Then he would wake up, his heart racing.

            He didn’t dwell on the dreams. For the time being they weren’t hurting him so there was no need to worry the others. Peter continued hunting down Sniegoski and trying to put a plan in place to capture the man. SHIELD was working with him now. Peter imagined that the Avengers had something to do with that, but he wasn’t complaining. He would get any help possible. The idea of facing Sniegoski again didn’t terrify Peter as much as the idea of what he would do when he finally had Sniegoski in his grasp. That was what scared Peter the most. He wasn’t sure what he would do once he had Sniegoski.

            “Earth to Peter,” his aunt laughed lightly, drawing him from his thoughts. “Where did your mind wonder off to?”

            “Just thinking,” Peter responded quickly from where he sat at her dining table.

            She sat down next to him. “You weren’t just thinking. What’s bothering you?”

            “I don’t want to burden you with this,” he said quietly.

            “Nonsense. Tell me what weighs on your heart.”

            He heaved a heavy sigh. “I don’t know what I’m going to do once I catch Sniegoski.”

            “What do you think you’ll do?”

            “I don’t know. A part of me… A very dark part of me wants to…wants to kill him.”

            “He’s a bad man,” she responded without pause.

            “Doesn’t mean I have the right to take his life.”

            His aunt was quiet for a moment before she said, “The Avengers probably would kill him. Your boyfriend certainly would and any SHIELD agent or police officer possibly would if given no other option.”

            “It seems that is the only way. I can’t imagine any other way of stopping him.”

            His aunt reached out and took his hand in hers. “Peter, you are not a killer. No matter what you believe. The fact that you are torn up about this, over Sniegoski no less, should tell you that your hands are not as bloody as you have been led to believe. Do you hear me? There is another way and you are smart enough to stop this man without taking his life. He will face his judgement day like anyone else.”

            Peter sighed. “Thank you, Aunt May. I love you.”

            “I love you too, dear.”

[][][]

By March, Peter was going to class again. He spent about two days arguing with Tony who still wanted to homeschool him. Peter was beginning to wonder if Tony really did believe that he could teach Peter better than the school, and that it had nothing to do with just Peter’s anxiety. Sam, the voice of reason, managed to convince Tony that it might help with Peter’s self-esteem and recovery. Peter was nervous about heading back to school. Flash had told him that there were a lot of rumors for his sudden disappearance. There had even been a theory that Peter Parker was Spider-Man since their disappearances lined up at the same time. Flash had jokingly said, “Don’t worry. Everyone swears to uphold your secret identity.”

            Peter dealt with students coming up to him and asking him questions about where he had been over the last two months. He just smiled and said that his godfather felt that he was better teacher. He denied any ties to being Spider-Man, gesturing to his lanky form and baggy clothes. Flash smirked while they worked their way to the lockers before class began. Peter casted his best friend a knowing look, feeling right at home.

            Slipping back into his old routine at school went smoother than he had thought. Peter enjoyed being able to do something that was painfully mundane. Him and Flash did homework together after school in the tower before Peter went on his rounds with Deadpool. Of course this peaceful routine only would last so long before something weird or horrible happened to him. It happened when he was at school with Flash. Peter was digging through his locker when suddenly his vision slotted and he was no longer in school. _He was sitting at a desk with mounds of paper work scattered in front of him. A peek at the pages revealed familiar information though he couldn’t quite place where he had seen it before. It was important. Life changing even. It could save lives. It would be Edward’s greatest accomplishment. It would atone for all of his sins as a younger man._

_“Daddy!” A child’s voice yelled, the sound of feet running through the house._

_Edward turned away from his work to see his son, Peter, run into the room. He laughed scooping up the boy. “How was school?”_

_“Okay. Look what I made for you.” The boy pulled out a diorama of the solar system._

_“Wow. That is amazing.” Edward crooned, “my smart boy.”_

            “Peter!”

            Peter inhaled sharply his eyes darting to Flash’s. He could see the worry in his friend’s expression. “Hey, man. I lost you for a moment. Where did you go?”

            He gaped at Flash, dumbfounded. “I-I don’t know what just happened.”

            “Was it a flashback?” Flash whispered, eyeing the students around them.

            “Yes? But it wasn’t mine.”

            “What?” Flash deadpanned.

            “I’ve been having dreams. Nothing like this. It was like a memory but it wasn’t mine. Please don’t look at me like I’m crazy.”

            Flash frowned. “Come on, man. I know you aren’t crazy. Not like that. If it’s not yours, then whose?”

            Peter hesitated for a beat. “I think it was Sniegoski’s.”

            He watched the way Flash’s face went through several different expressions before finally settling on a befuddled look. “Oh.”

            “Yeah.”

            “That’s deep shit, dude.”

            “I know.”

            “What does it mean?”

            “I don’t know.”

            “Are we going to tell the others?”

            “No.”

            Flash gave him an exasperated glance. “What is with you and secrets, man?”

            Peter huffed lightly, collecting his stuff and closing his locker. “Well, when it was just dreams I didn’t feel like should worry them with it, but this is different. I suppose it’s time that I do.”

            “Oh, you suppose.” Flash mocked as they walked down the hallway. “You so may or may not be telepathically connected to Sniegoski and you acting totally chill about it.”

            “When weird shit keeps happening, you just get used to it.”

            Flash pursed his lips. “Fair enough.”

Him and Flash were walking home from school, eager to get back before something else happened. Of course Peter had no such luck when Dr. Strange appeared in front of Peter. He came to an abrupt halt as he took in the transparent figure before glancing around to see if anyone else had noticed. Flash was looking at him worriedly with a frown fixed on his face.

            “Peter?”

            “Peter, I need you to come by the Sanctum Sanctorum immediately if you will. I have information on your Sniegoski.” Dr. Strange then rattled off an address with a, “You may bring your friend,” and disappeared.

            “Peter? What is wrong?”

            Peter shook himself and turned to his friend. “Did you not see that?”

            “See what? You staring at nothing?”

            “No. Dr. Strange was just here. He wants us to meet him at his place.”

            “For real? Can I come?”

            “Yeah. He said you could. Let’s go. It’s not far from here.”

            They hurried to the address that Peter was given. He was pretty sure that he knew the area and he couldn’t remember there being anything other just some apartment buildings and shops. Not a place he’d expect Dr. Strange to set up shop. When they got there, Peter was surprised to see a beautiful building made of ornate architecture and glass spheres. It certainly didn’t fit in with the rest of the neighborhood. Sparing a glance at each other, both young men headed inside.

            “Whoah,” Flash breathed as they took in the grand entrance. “I am so glad I am your friend.”

            Peter smirked but didn’t reply as Dr. Strange appeared from somewhere behind the stair case. The man was clad in his usual attire, but he looked exhausted.

            “Welcome, boys. I trust you had no trouble finding the place.”

            Peter scoffed. “No way, doc. How can you miss a building like this once you lower your magic mojo around it?”

            Strange spared Peter a grin. “Looks can be deceiving. Come. I’m sure you are eager to hear what I have found.”

            They followed the older man up the stairs until they were on the third floor and down the hallway, conversing the whole way.

            “I’m sorry I didn’t have this information sooner. I am dealing with some rogue sorcerers of my own.”

            “Anything I can do to help?”

            “I’m afraid not. They are not exactly your speed. I think you have hands full enough with this Sniegoski.”

            “Well, I’m here if you need anything, Dr. Strange.”

            Strange nodded. “I’m glad you are back, Spider-Man.”

            “Glad to be back.”

            They stepped into a library like room where Strange led them to a table with piles of books and old documents. “It took quite a bit of digging. Sniegoski’s trinket is as much as I had expected. Where he acquired such an instrument I have no idea. What your man has is an old amulet that can channel raw magic. What gives the stone its power are the runes that inscribed in the stone. It also dictates what kind of magic tricks it can perform. In this case the ability to manipulate human minds. Of course there are limitations and that depends on the caster.

            “The problem is that over time, because magic should not be used in this way, corrupts the master of the stone. It makes them go mad and that seems what has happened to Sniegoski. These stones are quite common actually, but most don’t even realize it because it takes a certain event to allow for the flow of power.”

            “So something had to trigger it?”

            “Yes, something devastating. A sacrifice if you will, whether he was aware of it or not.”

            Peter traded looks with Flash. “Uh, so what kind of effects does it have on the victim?”

            Strange looked at him suspiciously. “What has happened to you?”

            Peter sighed, know there was no way of getting around this one. “I’ve been having dreams and a vision. They are his memories.”

            The man hummed in thought. “The best explanation I have for you is that it is just residue, a shadow, of Sniegoski’s previous connections to you. When the minds meld in this process it is possible that things get left behind and the mind has a funny way of pulling those memories out at random.”

            “So he’s not in my head right now?”

            “No, not in that way.”

 Peter released the breath he had been holding. “So is there a way to stop his powers?”

            Strange pinched his brow in a frown. “Separate the stone from its master. Preferably destroy it.”

            “And Sniegoski? What happens to him?”

            The man went oddly silent for a moment before speaking again. “I do not know. I imagine he’ll be nothing but a shell then. Possibly dead. Or he could be completely lucid.”

            “There’s no way to save him?”

            Strange gave Peter a curious look. “Save? That is an option you are considering for the man who has done unspeakable things against you?”

            Peter balked. “I don’t know.”

            Strange’s gaze softened. “Don’t worry. I think it would be best for me to confront Sniegoski. I can ward myself against his craft. We will need to strategize a coup.”

            Peter glanced around the room, taking in its shelves of books that looked much older than himself. The idea of letting someone else, someone who was capable of the task, was not something the settled easily on his mind. On one hand he was tempted to let someone else take care of it, but at the same time he knew that he wanted to be the one to finish things. Peter was about to argue as much when Strange put a hand on his shoulder.

            “I know, Peter. You are a great kid and you’ve done so much, but let others help you stop this menace. Set your pride aside and think about not just your safety, but the safety of everyone involved.”

            Peter deflated at that, knowing that Strange meant well. The man was right. This was the safer option for everyone. Strange could handle the problem, probably entirely on his own where Peter couldn’t.

            “Okay. Fine. I’ll pass the message onto Tony and the others.”

            Strange gave the barest hint of a smile. “Good. I look forward to working with you in the future, Peter.”

            They left the Sanctum Santorium and Flash released a huff of air. “Man, what the hell is going on?”

            “Tony’s not going to like this,” Peter replied frowning.

            “Nope.”

[][][]

“Does my nose deceive me or is Peter baking?” Clint’s voice rang out through the penthouse.

            Peter glanced up from the truffles he was coating in melted white chocolate. The vision had startled him more than he had let on with Flash and Strange. So as soon as he finished his homework, he began baking. It had been awhile since he last made goodies for the residents of the tower. Considering the hell Peter had put them through it seemed like it was the least he could. It was also to soothe over the news he was about to give them.

            “It is!” Peter responded as Clint came into the kitchen with a hopeful look on his face. Lucky ran over to him, sniffing along the edge of the counter.

            Clint plucked one of the cookies from the cooling rack. “My life has been empty until now.”

            Peter smiled in response, checking his phone. He had texted Wade what happened to him earlier. Wade, who had been tied up in a meeting with SHIELD earlier, was currently on his way. “Wade is on his way up,” he announced aloud.

            The archer rolled his eyes. “Oh, joy.” Peter shot Clint a warning look and the man relented. “I’m trying, okay. Your boyfriend almost got me killed far too many times for any sane man to be happy with.”

            “Well, Wade is trying to be better.”

            Clint hummed as he nibbled on another cookie. “True. I gotta say I never thought I’d see the day when Wade fucking Wilson is actually tolerable to be around.”

            Peter smirked. “You love him. Admit it. You care about Deadpool.”

            Clint scoffed. “Whatever.” They heard the elevator open from the other room. “Speak of the devil.”

            “Hey, baby!” Wade sauntered in, wearing his suit except for the mask. Peter greeted the man with a hug, feeling relaxed for the first time since the vision at school.

            “Hey. Want a truffle?” Peter picked one up and held it out for Wade. The merc grinned, his eyes lighting up with mischief before taking the truffle in one bite, teeth catching Peter’s fingers. Peter couldn’t help but flush at the innuendo that his boyfriend implied.

            “Get a fucking room,” Clint groaned.

            “You are just jealous, Legolas.”

            “Screw you.”

            Wade sneered at Clint before turning back to Peter. “How are you doing, baby?”

            “I’m fine.”

            He hummed, wrapping an arm around Peter who sighed and leaned into the touch. Everything that was happening kept making Peter second guess himself. He didn’t like it. Wade grounded him somehow when he was like this and Peter couldn’t express how grateful he was.

            “What’s going on in here?” Tony asked as he came into the kitchen.

            “Peter is baking!” Clint responded excitedly, going over to the cake that Peter was letting cool.

            Tony took in the mess that had become the kitchen with a curious look. “This is a lot. Even for you, Peter. It’s almost like you are gain favor by fixing all of our favorite treats.”

            Peter blanched. “Uh…”

            Clint and Tony turned to Peter. Tony groaned, “Oh no. What is it this time?”

            Peter put the bowls in the sink and turned to Tony. “Well, something happened today. Just promise me you won’t freak out.”

            “Did you get attacked?”

            “No, no, no. Just promise you won’t get mad.”

            Tony was sizing Peter up by the way his eyes narrowed. Clint’s eyes were flicking back and forth between the two, his phone already out and fingers flying over the screen. Peter figured that he was texting Natasha. “Okay. I promise.”

            “Okay. I, um, I’ve been having these dreams. At first I didn’t think much of them, but today I had a vision at school.”

            “A vision.”

            “Yeah. I was digging in my locker one second and the next I was somewhere else.”

            Tony’s face pinched even further into a frown and Wade rubbed a hand along Peter’s spine. “What did you see?”

            “It was a memory. Sniegoski’s memory, I think.” Peter released the breath he’d been holding. “The dreams just left me with impressions and vague bits of information. Things that could have been easily mistaken for just a weird dream but this is…is different.”

            Tony was obviously trying to work through the information before he finally said, “Okay. I’m not going to get mad you did not tell me sooner. We can work with this.”

            “There is more,” Peter announced, grimacing at the pinched look that Tony gave him. “Okay. I, um, Strange had some news for me today.”

“Okay…”

“Well, you see apparently Sniegoski has this magic rock that is allowing him to do his stuff.”

For a second, Tony looked like Peter was telling a bad joke but then his face shuttered into something more akin to horror. “Are you kidding me? What the hell?”

Peter raised his hands in placating manner. “I know, Tony. Strange thinks that it would be best to let him handle Sniegoski. He believes it would be safer that way.”

            Tony’s eyes narrowed in suspicion. “Did you tell him about the dreams?”

            “Yeah, I did. He said it was entirely possible that is what happened.”

            “Shit.” Clint added, “This is all mind stuff. Maybe we should give Wanda another go. See what she can do.”

            “I agree,” Tony said, looking to Peter. “How do you feel about it?”

            “If I trust anyone to dig around in my head it would be Wanda,” Peter responded honestly.

            “I’ll go find her,” Tony said as he left the room.

            “I’ll go fill in the others,” Clint added, following Peter’s godfather.

            Wade huffed. “This is going to be fun.”

            “Buckets of it,” Peter responded dryly. They were silent for a moment before Peter added quietly, “It feels like we are so close. This is it.”

            “We are going to lock up that bastard, Peter.”

            “What are we going to do after? I won’t know what to do with myself.”

            Wade pulled Peter into a hug and just held him. “I was thinking that we could get the hell out of New York. Maybe go on a road trip. Just you and I.”

            Peter smiled into Wade’s chest, ignoring the way his gear dug into his flesh. “I’d like that.”

            “I’ll follow you to the ends of the universe, baby.”

            “I’ll gladly go on any adventure with you, handsome.”

            Wade’s honest smile made Peter feel like the happiest person in the world. “Hold on to my coattails, baby boy. It’s gonna be one hell of a ride.”

“I love you.”

            “I love you too.”

[][][]

            “Just relax, Peter,” Wanda said lightly from where she sat across from him. They were on the floor in the living room surrounded by the Avengers. They started trickling in one by one as word spread about what had happened with Peter.

            “I am relaxed.”

            “No, you’re not.”

            He rolled his eyes. “Let’s just get this over with.”

            “I’m just going to look. Maybe I can stop these memories for you.”

            “Do your thing, pretty lady,” Peter quipped.

            She smiled and closed her eyes. Peter closed his too, swallowing hard. Apparently when Wanda intentionally rummages through someone’s head, red lights up their vision and Peter could actually _feel_ her shifting through his memories. She focused on his more recent conflict with Sniegoski. It felt like second stretched into an hour before Wanda withdrew from his mind and he opened his eyes. Wanda was frowning, obviously trying to work through whatever she had seen.

            “Well?”

            “I saw how his powers work… That is fascinating. It seems that the last time you faced him, both of your minds connected like Strange believes.”

             “That’s just fucking great.”

            “It happened so quickly. Your brain is sorting through all of that information now.”

            “So I’m not connected to him right now?”

            “No. He has no ties to you. If he did I would have detected it.”

            “Okay. That’s a relief to know.”

            “I can help you draw on that information, Peter. Help you filter through it and erase the rest.”

            “Can you do all that?”

            “I just said that I can and I will. Only if you want me to.”

            “No, let’s do it. Anything we can find out about Sniegoski can only help us, right?”

            “Absolutely. It may take a while.”

            Peter paused glancing around at his friends. “Okay. Let’s do this.”

[][][]

            Wade curled protectively around him, humming softly while Peter rested. It was a grueling task, letting Wanda search through the well of hidden information. Wanda was even more exhausted than he was. Steve had helped her back to her room while Wade helped Peter to his. Tony had dropped by a few minutes later to tell them that Wanda had revealed what she had discovered. It was mostly for Wade’s sake because Peter already knew, but Peter wasn’t ready to speak. He just wanted to lay in silence. Everything seemed too loud, too harsh. It was all too much.

            Edward Sniegoski. Ex-military. Scientist. An unknowing father to a little boy named Peter. His son died as a result of an unfair system. They had both been victims to corporate greed so Edward became an anarchist, wanting to tear the city and eventually the entire country down to its bare bones. No government. No corporations. No major establishments. With his scientific discoveries and powers he would create a new nation. One that would have been safe and just for his son to grow up in. The scary thing was that Sniegoski had a real chance of achieving this, but he had a few road blocks to get rid of. The Avengers.

            But then Spider-Man and Deadpool started posing a threat to his ever growing operation. He formulated his own plans on how to deal with the nuisances. Spider-Man would be killed, discreetly of course, while Deadpool would be shoved into a prison designed specifically for the mercenary since his reputation of escaping death preceded him. Then Sniegoski learned who Spider-Man was: Peter Parker. A boy with big brown eyes and messy hair, and just a boy. That was when Edward began to obsess over Peter. His abilities. His intelligence. His connection to the Avengers. There was so much potential. He saw the same in his own lost son. Peter was a boy without a father. Edward was a man without a son.

            Peter burrowed deeper until Wade basically draped over him. The heat between the two of them was almost suffocating but Peter wasn’t willing to budge, not when he felt safe and sane for just a moment. Wade kept humming, singing song lyrics just beneath his breath so not to aggravate Peter’s headache. He wasn’t sure how long they were like this. He knew it was late into the night but Peter couldn’t sleep. His mind kept reeling.

            After some time, Peter said, “he’s sick, Wade. Sick in so many more ways than I could’ve thought.”

            “I know, baby,” Wade whispered as if afraid to break the silence of the room.

            “I pity him, Wade.”

            “Don’t pity that man. I know you want to but he doesn’t deserve or need it.”

            “I know. He’s…Sniegoski is just a product of the world around him.”

            Wade tightened his hold, pressing Peter more firmly into the mattress. “And he’s a man who has formed a sick obsession with you because you reminded him of his son who is dead. That doesn’t justify the evil he has done and is planning to do.”

            “I know, Wade. It’s just a lot to take in.”

            “You should try to sleep. You’ll feel better after you have had some rest.”

            “You’re right.”

            “I know I am.”

[][][]

            Peter stopped having the weird dreams and visions thanks to Wanda. The next day he found her relaxing in the living area and she explained to him what she did.

            “I filtered out Sniegoski’s memories from yours. They are still there, but I put a type of mental lock around them if that makes any sense. It’s just so that his memory doesn’t bleed into yours and cause any undue stress or confusion.”

            “Oh. Thanks. That’s great.”

            She smiled and hugged Peter. “Anything for you, Peter. I consider you a very close and dear friend…I know my brother would have loved you.”

            “Tell me about him? I mean only if you want to.”

            Her expression softened. “I’d like to. Want to go down the street to that little café?”

            “Y-yeah.”

[][][]

Steve watched the way Peter now moved unrestrained across the practice mat. He was working with Bucky, the two dancing between one another. It was in these moments that Steve could see how the boy had changed. The way Spider-Man fought was reflexive and hard to pin down. It was a reserved strength but sloppy. Easy to take advantage of if one got pass the superhero’s sixth sense. Now? It was fine tuned. Peter barely broke a sweat, making the Winter Soldier work. His body thrummed with explosive power, just waiting to be release. It had a deadly edge. Spider-Man was known for his quips and taunts in a fight. They were his trademark and very effective in provoking rage in his enemies. Now? There was only intense focus. The silence was unnerving for Steve who knew Peter so well. Steve wondered what was going through Peter’s head during fights. They were more experienced than Peter before, now Peter matched them in skill.

            “I’ve noticed it too,” Deadpool suddenly said as he came to stand next to the Captain.

            Steve glanced at the unmasked man, unable to look at the scars for very long. He had seen scars like that before. Back during the war. It was hard to stomach then. “He’s changed.”

            “He’s still the same at the core.”

            “He’s stronger. More skilled. How? What Sniegoski did was all mental manipulation.”

            Wade growled in his throat. “Laverne and Shirley were…Jeeze, Cap, you gotta catch up on classic sitcoms…Tony and the Doc theorize that Peter was always this strong and badass but for whatever reason he just wasn’t meeting that bar. Like he was suffering from a bad case of superhuman yipps. But what happened with Sniegoski made him utilize his full abilities.”

            “Has SHIELD located him yet?”

            “No. The bastard is two sheets to the wind right now, but we won’t rest until he is found.”

            “How’s he holding up, Wade?”

            “Why don’t you ask him yourself?” The mercenary snarked.

            Steve shot Wade an impatient look. “You know if I ask, he’ll just say he’s doing fine.”

            Wade was silent as they watched Bucky flip Peter, but the boy sprang back to his feet with a grace that was unrivaled. Finally, the merc said, “He has his good days and his bad ones. I think his mind gets too loud. Too busy. He thinks he’s crazy sometimes. But honestly who in this tower isn’t thinking that at least once a day?”

            Steve sighed, shaking his head. “Look after him, Wade. I know you will. I can see how being with him has changed you too.”

            Wade smirked, mischief lighting up his dark eyes. “I guess you could say I’m head over heels. I’d follow him to the ends of the universe.”

            Steve looked back at the pair, seeing his own lover. Their own love was timeless. “That I can relate to.”

[][][]

            _(Don’t mess this up, goon.)_

_[Ooooooh. Look at him. He’s so cute.]_

            Wade grinned beneath his mask as he watched Peter converse with the Avengers. The smile slipped away, not that anyone noticed. Wade remembered when he met the man in red and blue. Of course he’d heard of Spider-Man of New York City. He’d even had received contracts on the young hero, but he never took them. At some point Wade had decided not to mess with the true heroes of this world even though the pay checks would have set him up for life. He remembered seeing the arachnid swing through the city and quickly followed just for the hell of it. When the boy met Wade’s crazy without flinching, the merc had known he’d found something of interest.

            The boy took Wade’s breath away every time. He was warmth and kindness and an entire galaxy growing at rates that no simple human being could understand. Wade remembered when he first saw Peter’s face, learned his name, and then Wade knew that he would always want those big brown eyes in his life. Now when Wade looked at Peter he still saw someone that he loved but the boy had changed. Wade knew that the others saw it, but they didn’t see as much Wade. It was the long nights of holding Peter as he shivered and cried through night terrors only not to remember with morning light. It was the times Peter did wake in the middle of the night from a night mare, darting to the bathroom to throw up whatever he had on his stomach. It was in the way his eyes didn’t look as innocent as they had before. When Peter was around strangers, his eyes turned hard and distrustful, the look on his face cold and unforgiving.

            A glint of light caught his eye and Wade noticed the bullet pendant hanging out of Peter’s shirt.

            _(Not very fitting. I still do not understand why you got that for him.)_

_[Yeah! Bullets for cinnamon roll? We should do something different, big guy.]_

Wade hummed in reply as an idea struck him. Without a second though, he crossed the room to where Peter was standing. “Hey, baby, let me see your necklace.”

            Peter’s eyes darted to Wade’s in response while Steve watched curiously. “Why?” He asked, his hand going to his chest to cover the pendant.

            “Just let me see it.”

            The young man frowned but removed it. Wade slipped it into his pocket with a grin. “You’ll get it back in a few days.”

            “I’m not getting it back in one piece am I?’

            “Nope. Don’t worry about it.”

            Peter huffed a small laugh, but the mirth was fleeting in his eyes. “I trust you, Wade.”

[][][]

            Peter watched his boyfriend cleaning his weapons. Parts of his guns were scattered all over the living room of the tower. Tony had walked in a few moments ago, took in the small arsenal, and promptly walked right back out. Peter reclined on a beanbag chair, reading science journals on his phone. He was working up his nerve, which was completely ridiculous in his opinion. He’d been through a hell of lot worse thing and he’s had sex with Wade. Asking his boyfriend one simple question shouldn’t be twisting his stomach into knots.

            “Um, Wade?”

            “What’s up, baby?” Wade responded immediately without looking up from the piece of metal he was currently polishing.

            “Do you want to go on a date?”

            The merc’s head snapped up, excitement lighting up his eyes. “You want to go on a date?”

            “Well, I mean it’s been awhile and I really want to spend some time. Just us, you know?”

            Wade smiled. “I’d love to. What did you have in mind?”

            “I really don’t know. I didn’t plan that far ahead.”

            “Can I plan it?”

            “Sure, go ahead.”

            Wade started putting his guns back together. “Well, go shower and dress to impress because I’m taking my baby doll for a night out on the town.”

            Peter rolled his eyes and stood to do as the man asked. An hour later he stepped out of his room dressed in a nice pair of jeans and a dress shirt. Wade texted him a few moments ago, announcing that he was on his way back to the tower. When he stepped into the kitchen, Sam whistled causing Peter to blush. Darcy squealed, “Is it date night? Oh, this is so exciting.”

Tony chose that moment to join them, taking one look at Peter and arching a brow. “You clean up good, kid.”

            “Thanks, Tony.”

            “What’s the special occasion?”

            “Wade, is taking me out on a date,” Peter responded, fidgeting with his cuffs.

            Tony rolled his eyes and walked over to Peter, fixing the shirt so it was no longer pulling at awkward angles. Tony ran a hand through his hair, messing up what he had managed to tame down. One glance in a mirror however, Peter decided that he liked what Tony did better.

            “Pictures!” Darcy yelled. “Tony stand next to Peter.”

            “Darcy…” Peter began but she shot him a warning look.

            “Who knows how many date nights we missed. We need to record this. For memories!”

            Peter posed with his godfather, who looked entirely done with the situation, while he considered what she said. “Actually, me and Wade have only been on one real date.”

            Darcy’s screeched had all the men flinching away from her. “Peter Benjamin Parker! What the hell?”

            Steve and Clint came running into the kitchen, looking worried. “What’s wrong?”

            “Peter and Wade have only been on one date!”

            Clint gave Peter a surprised look. “Really?”

            Steve shook his head. “That’s their business, Darcy.”

            “Like hell it is. I’m living vicariously through them.”

            “Please don’t,” Peter groaned.

            Darcy took another picture. “This is just sad.”

            “We spend so much time together. What does it matter?”

            “Crime fighting doesn’t count.”

            Peter shook his head then and pulled out his phone when he felt it buzz in his pocket. Thankfully, his boyfriend was almost there. He sent a warning text that Darcy was on the war path about their dating history. Wade was far too amused by this development.  Of course when he got there, Darcy crooned over how great the mercenary looked in his dress slacks and button down, and demanded pictures of the two of them standing in the middle of the living room. Tony took a few with them. Some were just Wade and Tony. Then Darcy was pushing them onto the elevator, saying not to worry about curfew with a wink.

            Wade grinned at him. “You look great, baby.”

            Peter shifted slightly. “You don’t look too shabby either, handsome.”

            They looped their arms together as they walked down the street together. The city buzzed with its endless cycle of life, crime seemingly quiet at the moment. The chill in the night air was crisp and refreshing as they made their way along the sidewalks. Peter frowned as they approached his aunt’s house.

            “Wade, what are we doing here? Does Aunt May know we are coming?”

            “Shhhh.” Wade sounded as he knocked on the front door. A few moments later, the door swung open revealing his aunt wearing a beautiful dress, her hair and makeup done up.

            “You two are so handsome!” She praised, kissing them both. “Thank you so much for the invite. I’d absolutely love to get to spend some alone time with the two of you.”

            Peter grinned, his confusion disappearing. “We’d love to treat you, Aunt May.”

            Wade ended up taking them to a nice restaurant, sitting in a private booth. Peter was actually happy that Wade had thought to include his aunt. In reality him and Wade had only been a couple for three, almost four, months but it felt like a life time to Peter. It was nice getting to spend some time with Wade and his aunt together. Wade charmed the socks off the woman from what Peter could tell. It also helped that his aunt didn’t have any preconceived notions about Wade like Tony did. She even found Wade’s crude sense of humor funny. Peter was just happy that the two got along so well.

            The dinner came to an end and Peter wasn’t surprised to find out that they weren’t paying. Wade just smirked at the terrified looking owner across the room. “The fella owes me a big one,” was the only answer that Peter got.

            They walked his aunt back to the house, Wade doing a quick sweep of the house and yard to make sure everything was safe while Peter said goodnight. Then the two men were on their way to continue with the rest of their date night. They ended up in a bowling alley where they rolled up their sleeves and traded in their dress shoes for bowling shoes. They managed not to destroy the place as they got competitive over who could get the highest score.

            After Wade took him to get hot cocoas and for a walk through the city. Peter let Wade lead the way, since it seemed that the man had a certain destination in mind. There arms were looped together and Wade chatted about everything and anything. Peter was happy. They came to a stop in an area that Peter instantly recognized.

            “This is where we first met. When you nearly crashed into me.”

            “If I remember correctly you made a big rig crash,” Wade retorted with a chuckle. “First time for someone to swing into your life, huh?”

            Peter snorted. “Usually I’m the one doing the swinging.”

            “Well, baby, you swung me off my feet.” Wade shifted and without any ceremony, pressed a small black box into Peter’s palm. His heart skipped a beat as he took in the jewelry box.

            “What’s this?”

            “Open it and find out.”

            Peter pulled his arm back from Wade and eagerly opened the box, his breath stuttering as he took in the plain gold ring nestled in black velvet. Upon closer inspection he noticed smoothed edges on the inside of the ring and the same inscription that had been on the bullet pendant.

            “My necklace. You had it turned into a ring. How?”

            “Let’s just saw I picked up some skills in my day.”

            “I love it, Wade. What about yours?”

            Wade pulled out the matching ring from his pocket to show it to Peter.

            Peter looked at the rings for a long minute before looking the man in the eyes. “Wade, what does this mean?”

            “It means that I’m not going anywhere. I’m not asking you to marry me. Not yet anyway. I’m pretty sure I’d have all the Avengers and Aunt May wanting to tan my hide. I mean Tony knows how to make me disappear and doesn’t let me forget it. I just think a ring suits you more. So it’s a promise. That one day I’ll change it out for a ring filled with your favorite stones and made of real gold. Or silver. Whatever you want.”

            Peter flushed with happiness and grabbed Wade by the loops of his pants, pulling in the man for a hard kiss. “Thank you. I love it.”

            They giggled as they slipped the rings on each other. He couldn’t help but pull Wade in for another long kiss.

            “Take me to your place, Mr. Wilson? I want you tonight.”

            Peter could see the way Wade’s brain skidded to halt before enthusiastically pulling Peter out of the building, hastily getting their original shoes back. Wade rambled the whole way, tugging Peter along eagerly to match his full strides. Peter could only smile, his stomach fluttering with nervous excitement. It had been a while since they had any kind of sex. Wade was wonderful about not pushing Peter’s boundaries. Peter simply hadn’t had the desire to have sex since he was imprisoned. He’d even apologized once to Wade who had shut down the apology, saying that he understood and would happily wait.

            The insecurities that he had wasn’t so crippling for Peter anymore. He wanted to be with Wade in that way again. Life was too short and all that jazz. Stepping into Wade’s apartment made Peter realize how long it had been since he had last been at Wade’s place. It was clean, probably due to the fact that Wade was staying at the tower more. Weapons and clothes still littered the place and there was a few dishes in the sink but other than that there was no signs of life. Well, other than the hole Peter had put in the wall what felt like a lifetime ago.

            Wade flipped the lock and settled Peter with a serious stare. “Are you sure about this?”

            “Questioning it now, Wade?”

            “Consent is sexy, baby.”

            Peter huffed. “This is me saying all the yesses to you sexing me up.”

            “Fuck yes!”

            Peter yelped when Wade scooped him up and took off at a run across the apartment. He laughed as he bounced on the bed, Wade stretching out next to him. They smiled at each other before Peter pulled Wade in for a kiss. For the moment, the world slipped away. There was no superhumans or crime. There was no future or past. No Sniegoski. No lingering dread of fear that the moment of peace can come to abrupt halt. No mind games. No memories that weren’t his own. Just him and Wade who was warm and tasted like strawberry slushy and nachos that they had at the bowling alley. Wade shifted as Peter moved over him, strong fingers raking down his sides to pull his shirt from his pants.

            A desperate need overcame Peter as he began removing the merc’s clothes. All his blood was traveling south and all he could think about was how damn long it had been since he’d had sex. Kisses and late night cuddles had been a lifeline for him but it was not enough. Peter wanted so much more with Wade and it was terrifying and thrilling in the same ragged breath. He loved the other man. It was the kind of devotion that left Peter fragile and vulnerable but it was unwavering and pure. It was exactly what Wade deserved in his life for all the heartache and pain that he had to endure. 

            Before he knew it, they were both rid of their clothes. Peter straddled Wade’s lap while the man prepped him. He held onto Wade’s shoulders, panting into the crook of his neck as Wade hit that bundle of nerves that caused pleasure to roll of over Peter in waves. The discomfort was nearly non-existent as another finger was added and Peter ground their hips together, causing Wade groan loudly at the friction. Peter shivered at the sensations racing through him, goose bumps raising on his skin. 

            They shared a sloppy, biting kiss as Peter reached between their bodies and stroked Wade before slipping on the condom. He pulled away to mouth along the merc’s scarred jaw, nipping at his ear. “Let me ride you?” he panted and Wade’s hips stuttered in response.

            “Fuck yes.”

            Groans came from both of them as Peter sank down on Wade. The man held onto Peter’s hips tightly to keep him from going too fast. Peter wrapped his arms around the merc’s shoulder, tilting his head back as Wade mauled the column of his throat. Wade mumbled praises and dirty language like it was all he knew how to say. It was doing weird things to Peter’s body as he listened. He couldn’t wait any longer.

            The pair slipped into a haze as they moved together, chasing the pleasure and the moment between them. Peter was torn between dragging it out and giving into the sensations that would bring it to an abrupt end. He whispered his own praises against the mercenary’s flesh, pointing out his strength and size and handsome face. Wade’s movements became erratic and rough, striking Peter in all the right places. He suddenly felt to hot, sweat beading along his brow and where his skin connected with Wade. He cried out as he came to the sound of Wade’s breathy moans.

            Peter quickly recovered, knowing that Wade hadn’t finished. Before Wade could move, Peter pushed Wade against the mattress and raised his hips. Peter whined as Wade left his body. With a smirk directed to Wade’s hazy confusion, Peter removed the condom and took his boyfriend into his mouth. Wade swore as Peter swallowed, his hand fisting into Peter’s hair. It didn’t take long before Wade was grunting and coming into Peter’s throat. He grimaced at the bitter taste but swallowed anyway. Wade yanked him down, slipping his tongue into his mouth.

            The heated kisses turned into lazy ones and Peter shivered as his body temperature returned to normal. Wade pulled him close, biting at his shoulder. “Definitely needed that.”

            Peter huffed. “I was thinking maybe we could make up for lost time. Round two?”

            Wade’s eyes widened dramatically. “Yes!”

            Rolling his eyes, Peter leaned into his boyfriend and hummed. “See if you can keep up with me.”

            “Oh? Is that challenge?” Wade returned to kissing along his neck, fingers digging into Peter’s side.

            A laugh escaped Peter when Wade probed a little high, causing Wade to freeze. “What’s this?” He did it again and Peter tried twisting away, his face stretched in a smile.

            “No! Stop, Wade.”

            “Is someone ticklish?” Wade cackled as he pinned Peter to the bed, gabbing his fingers along Peter’s sides.

            “Wade!” Peter yelped, between breathy laughs. His skin flushing from embarrassment as he tried pushing the merc away. “Stop it, jerk.”

            “You know some get off from being tickled.” Wade called out over his assault.

            “Not me!”

            Wade finally stopped and dropped back down on the bed next to Peter while he tried catching his breath. Peter couldn’t find it in himself to be angry when Wade looked at him with so much warmth and…

            “I love you, Wade.”

            “I love you too, baby.”

[][][]

            Edward Sniegoski was always considered to be a ruthless man, but he had a certain charm about him. He came from a very traditional home rooted deeply in South Georgia and a long line of military men and doctors, going as far back as the American Civil War. It only made sense that he too would make a career being in the military and then earning a doctorate in biochemistry and masters in several other areas. He had a certain hardness about him, a chilling exterior, but most didn’t see the cruelty that laid beneath his pleasant smile. The only thing that seemed to have melted some of that ice was the birth of his son. Peter. The mother was a drug addict and unfit to care for the child. It wasn’t hard to convince the courts to give Edward full custody of the baby.

            Then his son became ill. It was a neurological disorder and incurable. It usually ended with the victim being placed on life support. Edward got to work on creating something that would save his son. The boy was far too smart and had such a bright future ahead of him to have it come to such a drastic end. Edward knew that one day him and his son would be known around the world for their ventures. His days and nights were filled with big brown eyes, wild hair and a smile that lit up the room. Edward would have the relationship with Peter that he lacked with his own abusive father. He was on the brink of discovery when it happened.

            Peter came running through the lab where he worked and tripped, setting off a reaction. It was too late. There was nothing that Edward could do to stop it. The explosion had knocked him out. When he woke, the doctors told him that his son had not made it. The fury and sorrow had been so powerful and overwhelming that Edward did not notice that the doctors had collapsed, dead, until a nurse came in and screamed. Later results would reveal that both men had a heart attack despite being perfectly healthy. Later Edward would realize that the stone he kept in his pocket as a lucky trinket had been the real cause of their deaths.

            Fury was a powerful motivator. If it had not been for greedy governments then Edward could have had better working conditions. His boy would not be dead and the potential lost forever to time. Oscorp stole and halted his research, leaving him alone and penniless. Edward grew to hate big corporations and government. He wanted to watch them all burn and with his blossoming powers, the possibility was achievable. Edward quickly went to work developing his skills all in the name of his son. It was easy, making allies through sheer suggestion and manipulation. He befriended every member on the board at big companies like Oscorp and Hammer Industries. Taking advantage of their resources and technologies was simple enough. Void is what he named the cocktail that was supposed to save his son’s life. He found that it had side effects that he could use to bring the world to its knees and despite the creative ways he could utilize his powers, Edward could not do it alone.

            Working with an underground organization, he hired a team of mutant mercenaries. Edward put them through testing of their mental strengths. Most died from the stress. The survivors were an elite team of individuals with a unique sets of skills. Of course none of them had abilities that could over power his in anyway. Still it wasn’t enough. Tina was nothing more than a filler for someone who Edward searched for. He wasn’t sure what it was that he was looking for…but then Edward found him. Spider-Man.

            New York’s superhuman arachnid came on Edward’s radar when him and the mercenary, Deadpool, disrupted several of his trades. When they nearly brought his Void dealing to a halt, Edward had enough. It was easy enough to find out who was beneath that mask. Edward tracked his movements and people he dealt with. He knew that the man was young and frequently spotted around Midtown High school. On a hunch Edward visited the public school and scanned the minds of the children there. It was then that he found that one young man knew Spider-Man’s secret identity. Edward remembered the moment he first learned the name and face of the young man who was threatening his operations.

            Peter. Peter Parker. A young man with big brown eyes, wild hair, and a smile that lit up the room. A young man with so much potential but was throwing it all away in favor of fighting petty criminals. Edward could not believe how much this man looked like his son. He saw his strength and intelligence. Edward knew that he had found what he had been looking for. He would see Peter through to reach his fullest potential. Edward never expected that the young man would be such a difficult case…

            Edward sighed heavily, resting in the moment of quiet. Being around other people and feeling their consciousness brush against his taxed his own energy. He stood and strolled over to the windows overlooking the city. Edward missed the green of the Georgia forests. He reached into his pocket and wrapped his fingers around the stone that he found long ago in a faraway place while he was on active duty.  Pulling out his cell phone, he dialed his current second in command since Valentina had been arrested.

            “Sir?”

            “It’s time to put the plan into action.”

            “But, sir, are you sure that is wise? SHIELD and the Avengers are hot on our tails. We’ve lost the backing of our allies. If we make a move now…It would be suicide.”

            “Do as I say, Raoul. I know the risks and I’m tired of waiting.”

            Edward was met with a pregnant pause, but it didn’t rile him to not have instant obedience. Not now anyway.

            “Yes, sir. I’ll let the others know.”

            Edward hung up the phone and looked at the city beneath him. “Peter, we have work left to do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the overwhelming support! Here we are at the final countdown. Those who saw my previous AN know that I changed my mind yet again decided to finish the story with what I have even though I'm not happy with them. 
> 
> Much love to all of you.


	21. To Forgive

Tony frowned at the director of SHIELD as he appeared on the screen in front of him. Things were getting tense since Valentina, the mutant woman, revealed many of Sniegoski’s hideouts, but they were no closer to pinning the man down than they were when they first began. To complicate matters, the pro-superhuman restriction activists were applying more pressure than ever to quell the Avengers’ ability to maneuver in New York City. Washington D.C. was already strictly prohibited, and New York was quickly moving in that direction with other major cities following. It was already taking everything in his power to keep small time heroes like Daredevil and Spider-Man from being seen as criminals. Of course, those two had the people on their side.

            “Please tell me good news,” Tony grumbled.

            “Well, last I checked pandas were no longer considered an endangered species.”

            Tony felt his jaw twitch at the remark, but Coulson’s smirk dropped and went on, “I’m sorry, Tony, but its best that the Avengers sit out on this one.”

            “Just tell me why. Tell me why the Avengers can’t bring in Sniegoski?”

            “Because we don’t have proof that it is Edward Sniegoski who is behind all of this. Nothing that links him directly to the drugs and other crime rings.”

            “And what about what he did to my godson? That he kidnapped another human being and tortured him? That is excused?”

            “We still have to operate within the law, Tony. You know that. Now if Peter wants to come forward, admit his secret identity, and testify against Sniegoski then we might get the go ahead for the Avengers.”

            “Not happening.”

            “Thought as much. I wouldn’t advise it.”

“What about Eliza? Can’t she testify against Sniegoski?”

“I’m afraid it won’t hold up. The court dates are being pushed back and it already looks bad. The girl is not well.”

“Damn it.”

 “The committee is still pressing. It’s best that the Avengers…lie low for a while. If anything goes wrong and it’s got your names on it, we might say good bye to the Avengers being free agents all together and your godson will become a criminal.”

            Tony sighed heavily, not liking this news one bit, but he had been expecting it. “I understand. Thank you for trying, Coulson.”

            “This will pass, Tony.”

            “It’s just the worse timing.”

            “It is. Take care, Tony…and don’t let the others do anything rash.”

            Tony pursed his lips. “We’ll see about that, director.”

            The call ended and Tony stood from the chair at his desk to return to the labs. Of course, he ran into Steve and Sam, both men sweaty from whatever insane workout routine they finished in the gym. Steve looked at him expectantly, “what’s the word from Coulson?”

            “We can’t touch Sniegoski.”

            Something dark flashed across Steve’s face. A look that Tony had come to associate with the man’s more rebellious moods.

            “Why not?”

            “The anti-Superhuman organizations are pressing hard for restrictions in New York. If we get involved with Sniegoski and something goes wrong it could be the ammunition that they need.”

            “You realize this means Peter is on his own.” Sam voiced, his expression open with shock.

            Tony settled both men with a serious look. “Peter is not going at this alone. We are just not going to help him in our suits.”

            Steve and Sam traded curious looks and Tony smirked. “Think you can put down your shield for a little while, Rogers?”

            A grin split the blond man’s face. “I think I’ll gladly lay down my shield.”

            “Let me get to my lab, boys. I have work to do to get you ready in case things go to shit.”

[][][]

            Peter took the news better than expected but then again he knew it was left unsaid that the Avengers would be involved in some way. It was obvious by their subtle actions around the tower. Tony was working tirelessly on constructing new gear for everyone and consulting Dr. Strange on how they could stop Sniegoski’s magical influence. The doctor and Wanda helped coach him through meditation in hopes that will help should he cross his villain again. Steve and Sam helped push his limits physically. Once they realized how his strength and endurance had changed, the others were determined to see how far he could go. Peter, for a teenage boy, had amazing restraint so getting to release it was an entirely different experience. So far the only ones able to keep pace with him were Steve and Bucky, but Sam helped talk him through panic attacks and flashbacks. However there was one time that nearly costed them someone’s life.

            Peter, dressed in sweats and a t-shirt, headed down to the gym where Natasha told him to meet for his first training session with her. He spotted Steve, Sam and Clint chatting amongst themselves. Peter gave them a weak smile before going over to Natasha where she was standing on the matt. She nodded to him, the corner of her mouth turned upward, and her eye glinting mischievously. Peter swallowed hard feeling like he was about to be in a world of pain.

            “I’ve been studying your tactics. We’ve fought before. You are good, Peter, considering you have had no formal training. How about we begin with a simple match.”

            Peter inhaled sharply as Natasha fell into stance. He mimicked her immediately. Something instinctual teased along the edge of his consciousness. His spidey-senses were not alerting him to danger. It felt familiar but foreign at the same time. Every time since he returned, it felt this way. Peter didn’t bring it up with the others but somehow Sniegoski was able to change him physically.

            He moved swiftly out of the way, using her own style. Surprise flickered across her face as he moved into her space and flipped her onto her back. Before he could pin her, she rolled back to her feet, kicking his out from under him. He caught himself, easily cartwheeling back up to lock arms with the assassin. Peter felt something dangerous light up in his chest. Suddenly he was someplace else. He would not die again. He couldn’t feel that pain again. Peter hit her hard in the stomach with his elbow. He heard yelling then. Someone crying foul. Peter froze. Sniegoski never stopped them. The only way the match ended was if someone died. Dying felt like hell. Peter shook his head and realized he was on top of Natasha, effectively pinning her and his hands around her throat. She had a blade to his throat and a fearful look in her eyes.

            “Fuck!” Peter threw up his hands and rolled off of her. His heart was racing and he was sweating profusely. His hands trembled as he scooted further away from the woman. “I-I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to. I swear. I-I-I…shit.” His breathing was coming and going rapidly. He felt the beginnings of a panic attack take him under. Steve was in front of him, clutching his shoulders.

            “Peter, focus on me. Please. Peter, come on…”

            Peter pushed the man away. “No! Stay away from me!” He darted to his feet and fled the gym. He didn’t stop until he was far away from the others, fighting the effects of the panic attack. Peter ended up on the platform overlooking the city. His vision was getting dark around the edges and everything was spinning. He felt like he was about to throw up. Everything just came back. He didn’t want to remember all the horrible things he had been forced to do. Peter leaned against the railing, hanging his head as he tried to get his heart under control. Everything had been going so much better.

            The city buzzed with life but being so high on Tony’s landing platform made it all seem so far away. The wind gusted around him, chilling him despite the warmer days. He eventually moved to perch on the railing, his powers keeping him in place. He stayed there for some time just staring blankly at the lights. Peter heard the door open and close from inside, but he didn’t move. When Bucky leaned against the railing next to him, Peter was surprised to see the man there.

            “Been looking for you,” the man grunted.

            “Sorry. I just had clear my head.”

            “Don’t apologize. I understand.”

            Peter sighed, glancing at the man out of the corner of his eye. Bucky probably understood him better than anyone, maybe even Wade. His boyfriend helped him by supporting his decisions and being there during the dark nights, but Wade didn’t handle problems the way that most people would. Wade carried his demons in a way that Peter never could. He embraced them and made it work for him. Bucky, on the other hand, had demons like Peter’s that weighed him down and kept him tethered to a past he’d rather forget about.

            “Want to talk about it?”

            “Did the other’s send you?” Peter asked softly, but loud enough for the other man to hear him. The events of earlier clear in his mind.

            “It was suggested, but I came on my own.”

            Peter was silent for a long time, and Bucky moved to sit next to him and wait for him to speak. Finally, Peter worked up the nerve to open his mouth. “I just…something in the way Nat moved just triggered it in me. It’s almost like I become someone else and I can’t stop.”

            “But you did.”

            Peter scoffed but there was no humor in it. “Yeah, after I almost strangled her.”

            “Nat is tough.”

            “And what if I turn on Darcy or Flash? They aren’t SHIELD trained operatives.”

            “You won’t,” Bucky said with all the conviction a man could possess.

            He wasn’t buying it so he pressed. “How do you know?”

            Bucky glanced at him out of the corner of his eye. “I don’t see darkness in you.”

            Peter looked away and fell silent, mulling over what the other man said. After a while Peter spoke again. “How do you do it?”

            “Do what?”

            “Go through what you did and not just give in to it all?”

            Peter looked at Bucky while the man looked down at the city beneath them. Finally, he said, “I had Steve. Things are easier when you have someone beside you. To guide you. To serve as your moral compass. When I first was freed, I tried avoiding Steve but that never sat right with either of us. When I decided to come back to him, I put my trust in him. Completely and unquestioning.”

            “Was it hard?”

            “The hardest thing I ever had to do. I didn’t trust anyone, but if I wanted to have any kind of life I had to trust Steve. As long as he believed, I would too. He believed in me. He believed that I was better than what Hydra did to me. He believed that I would get better and that’s how I have managed to get as far as I have.”

            Peter hummed in response, thinking about Wade and the rest of his odd family. Bucky went on, “I’ll never be the same. You’ll never be the same. The nightmares won’t go away. The anxiety, the fear, the demons won’t disappear, but you still have a chance to make your life mean something by doing good. You and I have these powers given to us by dark men, but we can use our abilities to bring them down so not another innocent gets hurt.”

            Peter smiled at Bucky. “I think this is the most I’ve ever heard you talk.”

            “I trust you, Peter. Even after everything that’s happened, I trust you.”

[][][]

            Peter found Natasha in the training room. He approached her slowly while she finished the set she was doing. Once she was done, Natasha turned to him and Peter released a sigh of relief when he didn’t see her flinch at the sight of him.

            “Peter,” she said, moving closer.

            “I’m so sorry for earlier. I had no idea that would happen. If I had I would have never stepped on the mat with any of you.”

            “ _Solnyshko_ , you didn’t hurt me or anyone else. You just had a bad day that’s all.”

            Peter gaped incredulously at the woman. “Bad day? I almost killed you.”

            She grinned wolfishly at him. “You couldn’t have killed me if you tried.”

            “But…”

            “No buts. Is your head cleared?”

            He frowned at her. “Yeah? I mean I talked to Bucky and that seemed to help.”

            She walked back over to the mat. “Good. We are going again. Get in position.”

            “What? No. There’s no one else here. What if I hurt you? I can’t…”

            Natasha moved into a defensive stance. “Peter, let go of that fear. How do you think you can face your enemies when you can’t even face yourself? Come at me and don’t hold back.”

            They looked at each for a long moment before Peter moved in front of her and raised his arms. “Okay. Let’s start slow this time.”

            She grinned. “Very good, _solnyshko_.”

[][][]

            “We have the tower to ourselves!” Darcy cheered the second the doors shut behind the Avengers’ backs as they left to see to a meeting. “Let’s order pizza and watch some movies.”

            “I like the sound of that,” Flash replied with a grin.

            Peter hummed in agreement, barely paying attention as he reviewed some police records that he managed to get his hands on. The covered the last few weeks and he was looking for any unusual activity in hopes of locating Sniegoski, but the man was like a ghost.

            The papers were snatched out of his hands and he glared up at Darcy. “Hey!”

            She gave him an unimpressed look. “If I can put down work for a few hours so can you.”

            He sighed. “Fine. Whatever. What are we watching?”

            They ended up watching the first Hobbit movie and devouring through two large pizzas on their own. Darcy eventually turned to him. “So I heard that you are to stay away from Sniegoski and let the good doctor take care of him.”

            Peter glanced at her suspiciously. “Yeah?”

            “Well, what’s the plan? Because I, as one of the original Team Spidey members, know that shit aint gonna fly.”

            He glanced at Flash and saw that his best friend wasn’t going to help get him out of this. “I’m going to let Strange handle it.”

            “That’s bull shit and we all know it.”

            “It’s for the best. Strange can protect himself in ways that we can’t against magic. The risk is too great, but…”

            “But?”

            “I’ll do whatever it takes, Darcy. I can’t let him hurt anyone I care about. So if that means handing it over to someone else, fine. I’ll step back.”

            Darcy didn’t seem at all pleased by that answer and neither did Flash for that matter. “Well, I think ¾”

            Peter’s spidey-senses suddenly flared to life, almost painfully just a second before the alarms began going off. The TV shut off and the lights went down with the exception of the flashing red. Peter was on his feet as the tower locked down around them, doors and window sealing tight.

            “JARVIS! What’s going on?” Peter snapped as he motioned Darcy and Flash to follow him. He didn’t miss the way their faces went pale and panic settled in their eyes.

            “Intruders are trying to gain access to the tower. There are four mutants and one I have identified as Sniegoski.”

            Peter heart skipped. “What? What the hell is he doing?”

            “They have entered the stairwell. Should I deploy the suits?”

            “You are asking me?” Peter asked, hurrying to his bedroom. “Unlock my door.”

            The door slid open as JARVIS went on. “Yes, sir. Mr. Stark has given you full access to his arsenal for yours to command.”

            “Uh,” Peter deadpanned as he searched for his web shooters. His suit was currently in Tony’s lab. He snatched them up. He spotted Darcy and Flash standing by his door. Darcy was on the phone and Flash was tracking every move he made. “Don’t. We can’t have a full scale battle here in the tower. He’s here for me.”

            Darcy’s eyes darted up to his face. “What, Peter? Don’t you dare play a martyr. There’s no way they can get in here, Peter. We just have to wait it out.”

            Peter paused, looking at Wade’s drawer. “I’m not going to just sit here.” He hurried over to it and pulled out a shotgun and handgun that he knew his boyfriend kept there. Peter handed the shotgun to Flash and the pistol to Darcy. “They are loaded. There are more rounds in that drawer. Stay in my room.”

            “Peter,” Flash cried, grabbing Peter’s arm before he could leave. “Just wait a minute.”

            “We don’t have time, Flash. He’ll be here any second.”

            “Like hell we do. You can’t go against four of them plus that asshole.”

            Peter released the breath he had been holding. “I’m not going anywhere. I’ll just wait in the living room, okay? If they come through I’ll escape through the kitchen window. If they don’t then we had nothing to worry about. I’ll put them on a chase until the others get here.”

            Flash’s hold tightened just a fraction and they shared a long look before nodding. “Be careful. Don’t be stupid.”

            Darcy planted a big kiss on his cheek. “Please, Peter.”

            He stepped out of the room and said, “JARVIS, put my room under lock down.”

            “Yes, sir.”

            “Sniegoski’s location?”

            “The mutants are climbing the stairs. They are ten floors below, but Sniegoski is still in the lobby on the ground floor. The building is otherwise clear of all personal.”

            “Thank you, JARVIS.” Peter’s mind raced to understand Sniegoski’s plan. What was he trying to achieve here? He couldn’t even begin to fathom what the man was doing here. Could Sniegoski want him so badly that he would strike the Avengers’ nest?

            “Where are the Avengers?” He asked as he paced the length of the living area. The lights had stopped flashing but everything was still dimmed and shut down tight.

            “ETA fifteen minutes. Normally under lock down there is no open communication between the inside and outside would you like to make an exception for Mr. Stark?”

            “No…JARVIS, when they get here hack any tech they have but don’t let your presence be known.”

            “Understood.”

            The minutes passed, feeling like hours, until JARVIS updated him. “They have reached the top. They are in the elevator shaft right outside the door.”

            Then the banging started and at first it seemed that the door would hold but then it began to buckle. Peter tensed, waiting with baited breath as he watched. The door bowed, separating enough for bodies to slip through. Peter crouched into a fighting stance as he evaluated the intruders.

            The man held up his hands, an ugly scar twisting his facial features. “Easy, Spider-man. We just want to talk.”

            “Not happening. I don’t care about what you have to say.”

            The man sneered. “Oh, I think you’ll want to hear this.”

            Peter’s stomach dropped, his mind jumping to the worst conclusions, as the man pulled out a tablet. He opened it up and showed Peter the video feed that displayed on the screen. Peter’s entire world tilted to a stop and his blood ran cold like someone had just dumped ice over him. His aunt was bound and gagged in what appeared to be his aunt’s kitchen. Two guards stood over her with weapons drawn.

            “No…” He looked at the scarred man, fear clawing its way up his throat.     

            “Allow Sniegoski to come up on the lift.”

            Licking his lips, Peter swallowed hard. “JARVIS, allow Sniegoski to come up.”

            “Yes, sir.”

            They waited in silence, the video still displayed in front of Peter. He couldn’t take his eyes off of it. It was his worst night come to pass. He swallowed down the panic. Peter couldn’t lose his cool now. If he did his aunt would pay for it. She looked scared but determined. He took comfort in that.

            The elevator dinged and Peter was face to face with Sniegoski. The man smiled in greeting. “Hello, Peter.”

            “What do you want?”

            “Just a simple trade. That is all. You for your aunt.”

            Peter inhaled deeply. “And if I don’t take your deal.”

            “I don’t think she will last very long against my mind games, Peter. We both know that.”

            Peter lunged with a furious snarl, but he was stopped, his body convulsing as white hot electricity coursed through him. When it finally stopped, he was panting and sweating on the floor. Sniegoski tsked at him.

            “I’ll let you have that one, but the next time you try anything, your sweet aunt will pay for it.”

            H-how,” Peter gritted out, struggling to his feet, “how do I know you’ll keep your word.”

            “You know I am a man of my word, Peter. I don’t really want your aunt. Just you. Once you are safely whisked away, the guards will release your aunt. No harm, no foul.”

            Peter swallowed hard and time seemed to down. He looked at the screen where his aunt was shifting uncomfortably on the chair she was bound to. The answer came easily to Peter. There was no doubt in his mind. If he didn’t go, his aunt would suffer. He didn’t doubt that Sniegoski would harm her to get Peter to bend to his will. If Peter went, there was chance she would live, relatively unharmed, and he would get to fight another day.

            “I’ll take your deal.”

            The man smiled brilliantly, eyes touched with madness. “Fantastic! Kneel for me, my boy, and we’ll be on our way.”

            Something inside of Peter gave as he went down to his knees, his hands going behind his back. The mutants moved to bind his arms in special tech and then covering his torso in a blanket. He was hauled to his feet and shoved onto the elevator. Peter watched the doors slide close, hoping for a miracle to happen. He just had to survive long enough.

[][][]

            Desperate panic nearly consumed Tony as he raced up the tower. JARVIS was unable to update him due to lockdown protocols. Once on the elevator with the others to his back, Tony’s hand twitched over the key pad as he realized the first sign of something was seriously wrong. The elevator wasn’t under the lock down. No one said anything, waiting in tense silence as they rode up. The security doors were busted open on the penthouse floor and everything else was locked down, but other than that everything looked perfectly normal.

            “JARVIS, report!” He snapped as he went deeper into the penthouse.

            “Ms. Lewis and Mr. Thompson are safe in Peter’s room. Peter left with Sniegoski five minutes ago.”

            “What?” Tony cried as he came to a halt. He glanced at his friends, eyes settling on Steve’s horrified expression. “What do you mean he went with Sniegoski?”        

            In answer JARVIS pulled up a video feed of what happened in the penthouse. How Peter securely locked the two humans in his room, how he paced the length of the room…how he allowed Sniegoski to enter the building, and finally how Peter went down as he submitted to Sniegoski. During that time, Flash and Darcy appeared from their hiding spot, eyes wide and brimming with tears.

            JARVIS spoke, “it appears that Peter sacrificed himself for his aunt.”

            “May?”

            “Sniegoski had her hostage. She needs assistance.”

            Before Tony could say anything Clint and Natasha were gone. JARVIS went on. “Peter asked me to infiltrate their system. I am unseen at the moment. Once you give me the go ahead, I will be detected in their system sooner or later.”

            Tony swore beneath his breath. “Wait until we know that he doesn’t still have May. I am going to rain hell down on that bastard. Wanda, get in touch with Strange.”

            The Scarlet Witch nodded, walking off as she pulled out her phone.

            Steve put a hand on Tony’s shoulder. “He’ll be fine.”

            “Fuck,” Tony grunted stalking off, knowing Steve would follow. “This is a fucking nightmare.”

            “Sir? Deadpool is on the phone.” JARVIS announced.

            Tony briefly considered forwarding the merc. but he knew that he would need to tell the man that Peter had been taken again. “Put him through…Deadpool?”

            “Hey, Tony. I ¾”

            “Wade, I have something to tell you.”

            “Cool. I do too.”

            “No, I think my news is bit more important. Sniegoski has Peter.”

            “Oh. I know.”

            Tony stopped his pacing. “Excuse me?”

            “I realized the tower was under lock down, and I saw him shove Peter into his getaway car. I’ve been following them. They just stopped at an apartment building near the Manhattan Bridge. I’ll send you my location.”

            Tony couldn’t help closing his eyes in relief.  “Don’t do anything yet, Wade. We’ll be there as soon as we can.”

            “I’ll wait, pops but don’t take too long. I’m ready to spill some blood.”

[][][]

            Peter watched with wary eyes from where he was chained to the floor. Anxiety thrummed through him just beneath the skin, but it wasn’t overwhelming. He actually felt surprisingly calm. He wasn’t afraid. His aunt was safe, Sniegoski had shown him the proof. Peter had no reason to believe it otherwise, and as long as his aunt was safe, that was all he could ever hope for.

            The room they left him was bare of any furniture, and a fine layer of dust covered the dull wooden floors. The apartment itself was small but long since abandoned and by the lack of noise, Peter could only assume the same went for the rest of the building. Peter couldn’t help but think about how the Avengers had probably made it to the tower by now, no doubt realizing what had happened.

            He yanked at his bindings, seeing that Sniegoski had upgraded to stuff that could hold something like him down. No one had come to drug Peter like last time. He knew that if they did it would limit him greatly. Peter pulled on the cuffs, ignoring the pain as he heard the metal creak. He kept trying until the door swung open. Sniegoski stepped into the room, smiling at Peter.

            “Don’t worry, Peter. Everything is going according to plan. We’ll be out of the city within the next hour and on our way to a remote town in Russia. There I’ll be able to recollect my resources and be able to train you properly.”

            “You mean brainwash me. Call it what it is, Edward.”

            The man gave pause, blinking at Peter curiously. “First names now, Peter?”

            “What does it matter. Edward? Sniegoski? Both are names that belong to a monster.”

            Sniegoski walked closer, shaking his head with a heavy sigh. “Peter, this is for the greater good.”

            “Bullshit. You want me to kill. Especially the Avengers. My family.”

            The man knelt in front of Peter, dark eyes earnest as they looked on. “They must go. There are too many powerful players. Heroes are beacons to villains. It will only escalate from here.” Sniegoski reached out, stroking a gentle hand through Peter’s hair. Peter felt his stomach churn. “A father without a son and a son without a father.”

            “Liar,” Peter hissed quietly. “I have a father. I’ve had many fathers. Two are dead but one is still alive and he’s going to bury you so deep if I don’t do it first.”

            The fingers tightened painfully in his hair as Sniegoski leaned in closer. “Who? Tony Stark? We’ll be long before he can catch our trail.”

            Peter smirked. “I wouldn’t be on it.” He suddenly lunged forward, ramming his forehead against Sniegoski’s face. The man stumbled back with a pained yelp, blood dripping from his nose. Something dark shuddered across his face. Peter saw the kick coming and was able to roll his head away from it, but the blow still left his vision swimming. Sniegoski stormed out of the room, and for just a second Peter felt satisfied.

            He wasn’t sure how long he sat there. It wasn’t long by his estimate before he heard the sounds of yelling and gun fire. Peter tensed, yanking at his chains as his gut told him that the cavalry had arrived. The door swung open and a panicked guard rushed in. Before he could reach Peter a familiar figure appeared behind him and gun shots rang in the room. The guard screamed in pain, collapsing to the floor before Deadpool kicked him in the head to knock the man out.

            “Wade!”

            “What? I didn’t kill him. I just shot out his knee caps.”

            “Wade,” Peter growled, “get over here and unlock this.”

            His boyfriend snatched the keys from the fallen guard and hurried over to him. The cuffs fell from his wrists and Wade pulled him to his feet. “We got to get you out of here.”

            “Where is Sniegoski?” Peter asked as he headed for the door.

            “No, sir. I was charged with getting you the hell out of here and back to a safe house.”

            Peter came up short. “Not without Sniegoski, Wade. This ends today.”

            They stared at one another long and hard before Wade finally nodded. “Tony might know something.” Wade switched on his comm and handed one to Peter.

            Voices and fighting bloomed in his ear as Wade said, “Target has been secured.”

            “How is he, Wade?” Tony asked, blasts going off in the background.

            “He’s fine. Anyone got eyes on Sniegoski?”

            “There’s a suspicious vehicle just left the building’s parking garage.” Natasha called, sounding like she was running. “Me and Barnes are in pursuit. If its Sniegoski, we are backing off.”

            “Where?”

            “Heading towards the bridge.”

            “It’s him, Wade. I know it is.”

            “Alright. Let’s go.”

            “What?” Tony snapped out. “Wade, you get Peter to the safe house now.”

            Peter took off at full sprint, not caring he didn’t have his suit or web shooters. “Not happening, Tony. I’m going after him. Nat, keep your eyes on him. Delay him at the bridge if you can.”

            There was a beat of silence before she replied, “understood.”

            Tony swore loudly over the comms, but Peter ignored it as they ran for the exit. Next to him, his boyfriend reached into his pocket and shoved something at him. Peter glanced down and grinned at his web shooters.

            “I carry an extra pair with me at all times.”

            Peter shook his head as he strapped them on. Soon they were on the street, by passing where the others were fighting mutants. The mutant with the scar across his face cut them off. Wade drew his swords. “Go, Peter. I’ll catch up.”

            There was a second of hesitation before Peter webbed away. Wade would be okay and Peter would be able to travel faster without extra weight. He yanked up the hood on his sweatshirt and pulled the draw strings before taking to the air. Within minutes he spotted Natasha and Bucky on their motorcycles tailing a black vehicle. They were now on the bridge. Peter swung between the two assassins to land on top of the SUV. Punching through the front wheel shield, Peter grabbed the wheel and yanked it to the right to drive them into the railing. He hung on as the car jerked to a stop. Cars were swerving and crashing around them but Peter paid them no mind. He hoped down and yanked open the back door. Sniegoski had a gun out and pointed at his head. His senses flared as he dodged, grabbed the gun in one swift move. In the next with a deadly accuracy, Peter slipped his hand behind Sniegoski’s head and banged his face into the seat in front of him before dragging the man out of the car. Natasha and Bucky were beside him, covering his back from the guards that were trying to get to him. Peter noticed people getting out of their cars and pulling out phones, and remembered his uncovered face.

            Peter grabbed Sniegoski and shot out a web, scaling the cables and pillar supports as fast he could. Sniegoski struggled to whole way, brushing along Peter coconsciousness. Somehow Peter managed to shut the man out, refusing to let their minds meld together. Finally, they reached the top, wind gusted around them. For the first time since Peter met the man, Sniegoski looked genuinely afraid.

            “You are on my turf now, Edward.” Peter yanked his hood down, hanging onto the man.

            “So it seems.”

            “Hand it over. Hand me the stone and no one else has to get hurt.”

            Sniegoski looked surprised. “How did you know?”

            “I have good friends.” Peter’s grip tightened on his arm. “Hand it over before it does any more damage.”

            Steely eyes bore into Peter’s brown ones. There was an explosion beneath them, and the bridge shook. People screamed but Peter couldn’t bring himself to look away. His spidey senses were going nuts, but he couldn’t turn away now. He was too close.

            Sniegoski’s hand slipped into his pocket and withdrew the little pendant that was the source of his powers. It glowed faintly in his palm. Peter placed his hand over it, not taking it. The light faded and something changed in Sniegoski’s expression.

            “Throw it into the water, Edward.” Peter yelled over the wind and noise from below. “Do it for your son.”

            There was beat where nothing happened, the world narrowed down to just the two of them. Then the man threw the rock over the edge, into the harbor, and just as simple as that it was over. There was another explosion and the pillar they were on shifted, the sound of suspension wires snapping. The world titled and Peter grabbed Sniegoski’s hand on reflex before sticking himself to the support. They were falling and then they weren’t, everything coming to a jarring stop that nearly dislodged Peter from the structure. The water rushed hundreds of feet below them and Sniegoski dangled, hanging on to Peter’s hand for his life.

            “Let me go, Peter.”

            His eyes went wide. “What? No. Just hang on.”

            Sniegoski smiled. “Even after everything, you still want to save me.” In a fluid movement the man had pulled knife out and swiped it along the inside of Peter’s wrist. It barely grazed him, but it was enough to get Peter to let go but on reflex he shot out a web to catch the man before he fell, dropping him only a few feet. Just as quickly Sniegoski sliced through the webbing and this time Peter didn’t try to catch him. He just watched helplessly as Edward Sniegoski fell to meet the rushing water hundreds of feet beneath them.

            Peter didn’t move. Just like that, Sniegoski was gone. The master behind his nightmares was gone. Peter recognized the bitter sweetness of the moment as he came to realize that Sniegoski was just another lost soul that was dealt a bad hand, but at the same time the man had done a lot of evil. Peter was free of him. He wasn’t sure how long he just clung to the broken pillar. Things quietened on the bridge and his spidey senses were silent. After some time, he heard a familiar noise. The Iron-Man suit appeared in front of him, scuffed from the fight but otherwise whole.

            “Come on, kid,” Tony’s voice said from behind the mask. “It’s over now. Let’s go home.”

[][][]

            _Four Months Later_

            “Peter!” Aunt May called. “Hurry up. We are going to be late!”

            Peter glanced once more at the mirror, giving up on his hair, before heading down the stairs. His aunt was dressed in her Sunday best, her hair pinned up in neat curls. She cooed at his suit, the nicest thing he’s ever worn since Tony bought it for him.

            “You look so handsome. My boy is all grown up.”

            He flushed as she adjusted his tie. “Aunt May…”

            “I know. I know. I just can’t help it.”

            “Where’s Tony and Wade?”

            “Oh, they are going to meet us at the school. They wanted to give us some alone time before the ceremony.” She picked up her purse and handed him his cap and gown. “Let’s get going. You may be New York’s web slinging hero but they won’t wait for you.”

            Peter huffed a laugh as he followed her out to the town car waiting for them on the curb. By the time they got to the school, students and parents flooded the reception areas as they waited for the ceremony to begin. Peter didn’t see neither Tony nor Wade. He could only hope that both men were behaving themselves wherever they were. Admittedly over the last few months Tony and Wade were getting along much better than they had in the beginning but they still had their moments.

            Flash ran up to him and planted a kiss on Aunt May’s cheek. “We gotta go, Peter.”

            His aunt chuckled. “Go. I’ll find the others. Good luck, boys.”

            “Thanks, Aunt May,” Flash answered, dragging Peter away. As they walked, Peter pulled on his gown and fidgeted with his cap.

            “How did it go with your dad?” Peter asked as they reached the waiting area behind the stage. He had worried about his friend all morning after he had left to go visit his father one last time before he left for basic training.

            Flash shrugged. “He’s regretful, but he’s still the same.”

            Peter yanked the other teen into a hug. “Hey, I should’ve waited to ask. Today is a great day. I know they have a huge party planned for us at the tower.”

            “I know. You think I can get them to play beer pong?”

            “If you do make sure to let me know it’s happening. I want pictures.”

            He watched the students, his peers, mingle around them, talking in excited voices. More than once him and Flash were pulled together to take group photos. Then the principle came and it was time for them to march up to their seats. Peter craned his neck, looking for his family. He spotted his aunt with them not that far from the stage. What surprised him was seeing Steve and Bucky had also decided to come. Wade was waving enthusiastically, wearing his hoodie and baseball cap, camera in hand. Peter’s cheeks hurt as he sat down from smiling so hard. His chest felt light as the ceremony began. When Peter’s name was called he heard Wade holler at the top of his lungs, and second later it sounded like Tony, Steve and Bucky joined in. The principle shot them a dirty look as Peter accepted his diploma cover. Peter just grinned not caring in the slightest that it was against the school’s rules. They did the same for Flash when his name was called, causing the other teen to flush deeply and hurry across the stage.

            Once the ceremony was over Peter hurried over to the other. Wade scooped him up and spun them around. “Congrats, baby boy.”

            Peter smiled as he pecked a kiss to his boyfriend’s cheek. “Thanks.”

            Before he knew it he was roped into more pictures, even posing with Bucky and Steve. He even asked why did they decide to come, not that he minded. Just surprised. Bucky answered him.

            “We’ve never been to a high school graduation. You weren’t going to miss the chance.”

            They headed back to tower where everyone was gathered and waiting. Peter had never been happier as everyone danced and laughed. Darcy had out done herself, decorating the place and providing games and food. Peter won several rounds of Twister while Tony beat them all at beer (water) pong. No one took Clint’s challenge at darts. Peter watched Wade slow dance with his aunt next to Bucky and Steve. Peter paused, thinking back on the past year. His life had changed so drastically, filled with highs and lows. Really low lows, but he had come out on the other side of it all. Sure, he still had his bad moments.  Sniegoski was gone, just distant memory that no longer haunted him.

            Tony joined him where he stood on the wall. “Happy with your party?”

            “Very. Thank you, Tony.”

            “Don’t thank me just yet.” Tony pulled out an envelope from pocket and handed it to Peter. “Congratulations, Peter. You deserve it.”

            Warily, Peter opened the envelope and pulled out official documents, stamped with a jargon of information. “What…What is this, Tony?”

            “The information to all your financial assets. There is enough there to cover your entire education. I expect a Phd or two in the future.”

            “Tony,” Peter began but his voice wobbled. “You didn’t have to do this. I could have…”

            Tony silenced him with a hug. “You deserve it. Just take advantage of it and take care of your aunt. That’s how you can thank me.”

            “I…I will Tony. I won’t let you down.”

            “I know. I’m so proud of you. I’m glad to have you in my life.”

            After a few embarrassing moments as they both tried not to cry, Tony went off to find Pepper and Peter went to set the papers in his room. When he returned, Wade walked over to him, pulling him close and grazing his ear with his lips. “I love you.”

            “I love you too.”

            The mercenary hummed, swaying them in time with the music. “What did Pops give you?”

            “My graduation present. He’s paying for my college tuition.”

            Wade scoffed. “As if you need it. With all the good grades you get, colleges are willing to pay you to attend them.”

            “Well, it’s still nice to know I don’t have to worry. Besides I can save the money.”

“You are boring me with your responsibility. We should runaway together. Just hit the road and not look back. You don’t have to be back until the end of the summer. We can go anywhere.”

Peter leaned into Wade’s side, warmth spreading through him. “That actually sounds like a good idea.”

“Yeah? We can go after Flash leaves for basic. I know you want to spend time with your BFF.”

“Of course I do.” Peter sighed happily. “Want to go to work tonight?”

            “Catch us some baddies? Of course I do. I’ll never grow tired of seeing your butt in those tights.”

            Peter elbowed Wade in the ribs as Clint walked past them, making a gagging sound. This was it. His life had been a mess and filled with so much turmoil and darkness, but now he was surrounded by good friends and love. He never wanted to let it go. Holding on to the tiniest sliver of hope during his darkest times had proven to be the most difficult thing he had to do in his life, but he was stronger for it. Peter couldn’t wait to see what life had in store for him next because the future looked bright.

 

The End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heres to all of us on this closing chapter. Thank you again for all the love and support through this roller coaster of a year.


	22. Author's Note

This is it. This is the end of Holding On. I just want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart. To everyone. The support and love has given me so much joy and courage. I can’t even begin to describe how amazing the response to this story has been.

 

I’m honestly not happy with this ending or about half the story. There is a lot I wish I can change.

 

That being said, I still want to do a rewrite of this story. I don’t know yet how similar or different the rewrite will be or if I’ll give it a new title but it’ll definitely follow the superfamily/godfather Tony tags like this one has.

Copied from my tumblr (bc now it feels appropriate to put this here):   
What many don’t know is that I was working on Holding On during the most depressing point in my life. Every day felt like a battle to just get up in the morning. It was hard for me to smile and talk to people. I was having weekly emotional breakdowns and I even began self harming again. My best friend helped me through it. I can't ever thank him enough. (He also helped a lot with writing this fic). 

But Holding On also gave me something to do when I felt like doing nothing else but sleep. It too helped me through one of the worst times in my life when I felt absolutely worthless. And all the love and support did so much more for me than any of you will ever know. 

So thank you. I don’t know if this fic would have been possible with those who gave it a chance.

 

Much love and stay safe!

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Please leave a comment and kudos to let me know what you think. Hugs and kisses <3
> 
> Here is my [Tumblr](http://jblue177.tumblr.com/)


End file.
